The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-16
crc-a, Johnson md the Funding Bill.

R1cuMoHn. February Is, 1872
Messrs. Editors,-The extracts from the
evidence of Colonel John W. Jenkins, pub
ishcd Yesterday, put me in false position,
and immediately on seeing them / addressed
n letter to Mr.. Smith, the chairman, asking
that nv testimony before it be furnished for
publication. This has not yet been done,
and am unwilling to let moro time elapse
before correcting misrepresentation growing
out of the aforesaid publications. The SUBJ
Joined letter from Colonel Jenkins will show
what he did say to the committee. never
was employed to uid the passage of the fund
Ing bill by any one in any manner, had no
connection with it, was absent from Virginia
when it passed, and never saw it until Au-
gust last. when / read it for the first time in
Baltimore.
was leading counsel to aid the passage of
what is known as the bill for the sale OF the
states interest in her public works, my en-
Dlovlnent being to secure the sale OF her
interest in the Petersburg railroad. L In
sisted that no one with whom | was con-
nccted should have anything to 10 with the
funding bill, in any n,anner, direct or indirect,
and am certain that none Of my associates
had any such connection.
Within Il few hours after the passage OF the
railroad bill, which occurred on Thursday, l
was called TO the house where | was then
boarding by domestic duties, and never left
il until left Richmond Oh Sunday to attend
the funeral OF a memEtr ofmy family, and /
did not return 10 Virginia until weeks after
the Legislature adjourned.
During Friday Colonel jenkins called on
me stated that certain parties, whom he did
not name, proposed to employ him to aid the
passage OF the funding bill, and proposed 10
pay him some sum, 81 ,0C0 to $4,000, forget
which, contingent on success; that as he had
been associated with lie i'll the railroad cen
tests, he was unwilling to undertake such
EMPLOYMENT without [ was associated with
him. | told him was not III condition to
I've employed; that such contingent compcn-
saton was utterly out Of tie question, and |
do not doubt, though DO not rccolicct, that
some amount was mentioned which would
be an inillcemcnt to undertake such bust
ness, very different from that offered. He
then left. and | never saw him again for
weeks. We had no understanding that any
one was to be employed, for the terms offered
were not to be considered. Nor did [ con-
slider myself in any manner Interested i'll the
matter. The conversation did not last ten
minutes in The hall Of the boardns-iio'Se.
During the day. however, inc sent To me for
a copy Of Il printed argument had written
on the subject Of the State debt. published in
the Dispa!ch OH the 18th Of February, 1871,
over MY initials. which | scnt him.
leIt or Sunday, and never heard anything
more Oh the subject until some time after in
Raci:i! received i certificate OF deposit for
i .GJj from linn, which he considered was
entitled 10 onaccount OF the service the &rSi!-
;ncnt had been. | had no understanding with
him or any one rs 30 ,ny fee | W.tS 10 receive
ior the ARGUMENT, and lis lHymcnt TO he was
purely voluntary. should hive been equal
" satisfied with haii or nothing.
The argument itself had been prepared
some tiine EelOre, with considerable labor, us
m invest -ation into novel and interesting
question OF law was inspired solely b. inter-
est az q citizen and lawyer in the questions
involved, and w;ts published by the Dispatch
Is a communication, ard extensively copied,
believe. never saw tie lundiHl; bill, rs
ave said, and never had amy communication
with anr mr!iiIcr q Tic Leg isilturc, u!ccct
0rind!gvc:, on TIC subject.
Civ domestic circumstances were such that
world not have accepted employment at
t!at time from any one. | vii! further state
chat | have Meier been employed for OF
against any measure before ANY legislative
a0dy. save simply and purely III the line OF
nv Ilo!@>sion--to wit: III preparing bills and
entertainments, arguments to be submitted to
committees and the tCdy they represented,
and supervising and assisting the application
81 parliamentary law to lid in the success Of
The object desired. Such employment in
En~i"!L and in this country has always been
considered, in tie very highest liDc Of pro-
ir>s;onal occupation. IN the former country
it has been sought 10y such men rs BrouglIam
and Scarlet; in America, by the c!lSs ut The
mead of which were Clay, Webster, and
Choatc.
Beyond these limits 7 have invariably de-
clined TO so: within them l consider EN-
ploymcnt most desirable.
Your obcdient servant,
BRADLEY 7. JOHNSON.