The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-09-13
WHEELING WEST VA, MONDAY MORNING SEPTEMBER a 1869


ment that the stone cost from "a, Is 10
$40 90 per perch, caunot fall TO mislead.
The truth II that on soma ninety perch,
contracted tor At 81, 90, SO per cent. ad-
diliOuN swab Afterwards 0tloRed, be.
cBuse the stone were extra large and
lne, AS TO tho RneBlnR OF io0ne u Dis,
for the public to understand fully what
foundation there exists for the charge,
Il would be necessary 10 publish the
entire evidence on the subject. l am
much mistaken It, that evidence win
BnbSLantiale tho assertion Ia the 'sy.
nOpBls.a .nII I4lu4TsIhtarl.S
And how, In concl uslon, the CHAIR
man OF the Committee, the Ieputed an
thor OF the 'synonsl4,' having taken the
initiative by furnishing Il for publlcA~
ton IN violation Of the agreement, or
understanding, between the. Commit
tee, that no publicity shOnld be given
to thelr CohcluslOns lOr Lhe present, and
thus sought TO Influence public Benti-
ment agaluat The PehltentlRry aulho1.
ties, and brand myself In particular, as
RSWlndl6r, I hope TO be EXCUSED some
what II do not refrain from n few
words IN relation TO him personAlly.
There Is an opinion held In common
by quite O number uFthoao who are Ac.
qualntsd with that gentleman's course
III the matter OF Investigation, and that
is, that he displayed all through aspirlt
very much like that Of persecution.
One would have supposed that regard
for common deoency and q lively inter.
est rs to what might be said OF him In
the future, that some concern lest a
damaging Interpretation might possl-
bly, be put upon nla conduct afterwards,
would have caused hIm TO be exceed- :
inHiy careful In forming associations
with those who were bll.ant 10 their
expressions OF Ill feeling towards gems
tlemen whose management Of public
iunds he was Investigating. His per-
sOnal habits also, while In Moundsvllle,
were such as 10 excite remark; and II
light have been doubted whether at
times his condition, In consequence OF
those habits, was such AB 10 make IL al.
together certain that he was properly
qualified to conduct the lnvestIga-
lion; and this doubt could only have
been strengthened when, on his dlreOtA
Ing the, Committee clerk not to put
down certain'words OF u witness on the
stand, l arose and insisted that they
should 30 down, and asked the chairs
man u the clerk had been sworn, his
reply being that he did not know. Aud
again, what 10 10 be thought Of a Sena-
tor, a grave and reverend BeiRuur,'
who appointed by The Legislature Of
which heis q member, TO preside AT an
investigation into the manner In which
a large amount OF State money has
been expended, could, at The same tune,
place himselftn a position with regard
10 public expenditures so delicate as
10 require the fullest explanation? !
Allude TO certSln certificates on the
AuditOrSgive by him to Peter Yarnell,
the prosecuting witness, for alleged
services TO the Committee without the
knowledge OF the Committee. And,
still further, 10 there not sufficient
cause for suspicion asStO the motive,
when O. leading member Of a Commit.
Tee, appointed to report facts; 10 hear
testlmony-act, as II were, as judges,
could In the c0urae OF the Investigation.
suffer himself to vAcate the chatr and
occupy the position OF prosecutor for
the Slate? Did the Legislature intend
this investigation TO be prosecution,
or ID 4theE Chairman alone responsible
for the shape whlchit assumed? Was
It not seriously proposed by the Chair
man and another member OF The Com
mlItee from the same county, 10 allow
evidence TO bs given on but one side OF
the case; to permit no 'rebuttive testi-
mony' TN the Language OF that mem
beT) to be intLoduced Ut all; 10 assume
for the COmmittee the fall powers Of a
a Star Chamber2 And finally, when
II is reeOllected that one, membsr oil
the Committee, Hon. B. F.. Harrison,
OF Jefferson, had gone home more than
week before the Committee adjourned,
and had had no opportunity 10 become
fully informed OF The conclusions OF
theyOther members, or to form btsIown
and had not signed, what iexcuss can
there be for the action Of the Chair
man in furnishing for publication
what was not, At the time 1t was
tGe's feb642i Sfso Htd1f5s tF11
Respectfully yours, ,...,.