The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-11-08
seven-A. A. Gray, Of Fluvanna, and Geo.
T.. Clarke OF Surry, being added to it.

I
T. Clarke OF Surry, being added to it.
| Immediately Upon the. receipt Of the ne
cessary papers, General johnson was mott
fed of the committees readiness to COM
mence the investigation. He and John P.
Poe, ESQ.,, two OF the counsel employed by
the Board of Public Works to prosecute the
claims Of the State against the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal Company, with their coun-
sci, appeared before the committee and earn.
estly advocated their cause. The interests
Of the State were not represented by coun-
sell "' rs ffir7e a.l Ailaus
/ At the fourth meeting of the committee
some of its members stated that, according
| to their views OF the case, no further inves-
tigation was necessary, and that they were
in favor OF recommending a dismissal OF the
case. insisted that the Legislature and.
people Of the State ought to have the facts
in the case, and that they should have them,
If had to act alone. Therenpon, Mr.. Nicely
offered the following resolution, which was
adopted 1sifla. ff9ad F'l 5''''4''9 9fiae 4
i'sResozued, TEaSS the chairman Of the COM
mittee, Mr.. Massey, in conjunction with the
counsel for Messrs. johnson, Poe and Poe,
continue the taking Of dispositions on behalf
Of General johnson. and on behalf of the
committee, without the presence of the 9TH
er' members; and that when the same is
completed, a meeting OF the whole commit
| tee be called.''
So "a
After this, alone of the committee met
with General johnson, his counsel and the
witnesses introduced by either him or my
self s'''2s5Se s'''s ''' s''& ,.93i-ih -
When I had completed the work, I called
a full meeting of the committee and laid be-
fore them the result.
After an Interchange of views, it was
agreed that Mr.. Nicely should prepare re-
port in accordance with his views, and +
should prepare one in accordance with nine.
This we did. Gen. Ronald signed Mr.. Nee
ly's report, and Mr.. Gordon signed mine.
Mr.. Gray and Mr.. e.. T. Clarke wished a
day to consider further before signing either.
Their examination resulted in Mr. Grays
signing Mr.. Neely's report, and Mr.. Clark's
signing niue. 'l''" -
The committee being equally divided, no
report could be made. AS none who had
signed Mr.. Neely's report would come TO
me, proposed that Mr.. Clarke should with
draw his name from my report and sign
Mr.. Necly's so that Mr.. Nicely could offer
his report Of the committee, and Icould then
offer mine-then the minority report-as a
substitute for it. N'.8 si'' q
Mr.. Clarke withdrew his name from my
report, and he and Mr.. Gray then appended,
over their signatures, the following to Mr..
Neely's report. ~- t'93l
''We have found much difficulty in arriv-
ing at a satisfactory construction Of the joint
resolution Of February 26th, 1867; but from
such examination as we have been able to
give the subject, prefer that suggested in
the above report. Still, not confident of its
correctness, and being unwilling practical
'ly TO conclude further inquiry into the mat
ter by competent counsel, with more time
and better facilities for Investigation, we as
sent to the recommendation Of the minority
report. 'Hf i''''l l0ea
Thereupon, Mr.. Nicely offered his report,
and | offered mine as a substitute for it, and
moved to have both printed. The motion
was carried.
The session was near its close and sought
to get the subject taken up as soon as the
reports and testimony were printed. For
some days I was unsuccessful. The MEM
bers had not generally examined the case,
and, supposihg the majority OF the commit
tee must be right, especially as it was in ac-
cord with the joint committee, which had
previously reported upon the subject, were
reluctant to take up the subj Succe ed
ing finally in getting hearing, the subject
was discussed at length by Messrs. Nicely,
Gray and Roland, of the committee. and
various Others in favor Of the majority re-
port; and by myself and NJ. Cord on, of the
committee, and Messrs. Watts and Allen, in
favor of the minority report. '' ze
The majority report recomm ended ''that
the whole subject be dismissed from the
further consideration Of the House. "'2
l found as before stated, that claims of
the State against the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal Company to the amount of $760, 49,
% had been placed in the hands of Bradley
T. johnson and company for collection.
That he had certainly collected the sum of
1881 800 upon these claims; but that he had
retained 9,542. 90 of it, and only paid the
sum OF $s2,347. 10, of all he collected, in the
State Treasury. Hence I recommended, in
my report, that the Governor be Instructed
to employ able counse: to examine into the
matters pertaining thereto, and, if he found
proper grounds for SO doing, to cause legal
proceedings to be instituted against said
johnson and company for the recovery of
the amounts colles ted by them for the State
and improperly retained by them. x
The House adopted my report over the
majority report by the rem arkable vote of
"a to %.
The Governor has employed able counsel,
who are now prosecuting their work.
lforbear making any comment or offer
ing any argument upon the subject, as I
have, no doubt, exceeded ''a column al
ready; yet have tried to state the case as
briefly as the facts will allow. 4ifes III
i 5'sns JOHN e. MASSEY.
Ash Lawn, Albcmarle Co., Oct. III
L