The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-02

disfsefe{ul 10 the public, 1 propose 10 STATE
few fleets ID The interest OF the Agricul-
fural Society 10 show that MY article which
appeared in the State OF The 10th contsined
noihing which Coionel Knight did DOT be.
fore know. aud which for the most part had
been published aud endorsed by him, con-
stouen,ly bis objections, az stated In your
issue OF the 2sd, are out ri date and out OF
place. In TIE Journal Of Agriculture,
published by Cobpel Knight--page $40;
November, fS7o-my remarks before the
Society IN general nseeting as its retiring
president appear, and a reference TO IL viii
show that Voluntarily aud publicly shared
with Colonel knight the responsibility a. 70
anv faults which might attach 10 bis
administration and IN the i,t0sster and
Farmer. with Colonel Knight as $3.50
ciate editor or contributoT--page 81; FEB
ruary issue. 16S0--nly report as president
nj the Society 10 the Executive COMMITTEE
may be found. This report had been de.
lsyed until The secretary Colonel Anight)
could make up MS account showing Inc
exact status Of the Society fnaDe'aliy al the
close OF my administration, and u qt con-
tanned any statistical errors 1t was bis busi-
mesa. as an efficient secretary, to have
known them and bis duty TO have care that
they we're then corrected; but be did moi
suggest any errors, and thus made up, il
was presented 10 the committee and unaDi-
mously adopted. Subsequently u was pub
lished by Colonel Knight without any OBJ
lection ~ the considerable reduction which
IL showed In the debt Of the Society, with
out any insinuattons as 10 conceit on my
part for having gotten II up, and without
any change in our personal relations. How
he can now attempt to dispro1e these state
menss cannot understand. Moreover, TO
take umbrage Of what has been repeated
for the encouragement Of the friends OF the
Agricultural Society, which be claims TO
have served so faithfully, must subject bin
10 the suspicion that change In his ofheial
relations TO the Society and its manager has
wrought change in his feelings. The sol'
lowing are extracts from my report above
referred to;
81 should have reported 10 the Society at
IFS annual meeting In November last, but
preferred 10 wait until the receipts and ex-
penses Of our last Fair could be fully ascer-
tanned and the secretary be able 10 make up
his accounts showing the exact status OF the
Society financially at the close OF my admin
istration. to be considered In connection
with what it was three years sg0 when |
assumed the responsible duties OF chief off,
Ger OF the Society. By reference to the
journal of the Society (psge l70) 1t will be
seen that, at the January meeting OF your
committee, ia 1876, committee appointed
10 examine the accounts CT the secretary re-
ported the debt OF the Society, In round
numbers, at S13. 600, and on the following
January, Ia 1877, the first year of my adj
ministraiiop, on page l91, journal OF the
Society, q like committee on his accounts
reported the debt Increased by SLIT; but
this did not include some unpaid premiums
y foA AoA IN hn a
soon after, amounting TO about eleven hum
dred dollars so that the actual debt OF the
Society for borrowings was Sl5,2l7 or there
abouts, with claim OF about two thousand
dollars then due the State for back taxes,
The payment OF which was being urged by
its proper officers, and making altogether
more than seventeen thousand dollars OF
indebtedness. Many OF you who were
present at the annual meeting OF the Society
in November, 1875, will remember how
fiercely the management OF the Society was
assaiied, and imprudently It's financial con-
eition was exposed, some predicting its
speedy collapse and Others asserting that
the debt was not due by the Society, and
having been made in violation OF lis consti-
tuition, the officers Of the Society might 90
10 work and partition 1t amongst them
selves; whilst former president OF the
Society said IL he had known 1t was in debt
$500 when his election took place, that ne
would not have accepted the office. Under
these most discouragiDg circumstances
think such Of you as were then members
OF the committee will agree with me that
except. for Colonel Beverley and myself,
whose services TIE Society could command,
Il would have found much difficulty in pro.
curing amongst its many friends one will.
ing TO be its president, however honorable
The hosIlIon, nevertheless involving much
personal responsibility"
"Wiihin the past three years OF my adj
ministration (perhaps the hardest ever
known In the history Of our country we
have reduced the debt, as stated, from
2l7,O00 TO $4,000; we have held three OF
The most creditable fairs; we have paid
three Of the largest premum-lists, and hay-
ing expended about $4,000 in permanent
improvements, can now return the grounds
in perfect order, whilst the present debt OF
&12.S00 may be further reduced by the sale
OF Sc, 800 OF West Virginia certificates aud
four acres OF ground outside CT the Fair
Grounds enclosure OF no special import
ance TO the society, a2gregating enough 10
all probability TO bring II down TO the sum
of sle, 600, which amount, by the reduction
OF It's interest account from $1,000 per an
nun TO about 5000, together with the ex'
sss1ss OF receipts, amounting TO about
81 600 per annum over expenses taking
The last three years az basis) may be ex-
tinguished IN four years or less"
On regard to bis JosvndI Of Agriculture, it
Is q mistake that l ever advocated its publ
cation at the expense OF the Society, and l
do not think DIR. Moore, who presented the
report to the Executive Committee at its
White sulphur Springs meeting in August,
1878, will say that had anything to do with
getting II up. had observed The course OF
such publications In individual hands, with
every opporturIty TO protect their interest,
and had not seen that any OF them bad
made more than living; some had done
much worse, and felt sure IL the Society
undertook such an enterprise with paid
agent It must lose money, which it was in
no conditiOn'to do, For that reason, maiuly,
/ was opposed TO IL. But had another.
We had parted with our old friend, Mr.
Leigh, for whom we all bad the most pro.
found respect. because, Is merchant, he
could not give his undivided services TO the
Society, and Colonel Knight had been
elected under resolution which re-
oulred all 81 bis time 10 the duties OF seere-
tary and treasurer, and II w1y OF II was to
be given te.fhs paper i coxld not see how
the success OF my administration would be
any better assured by change OF secre-
tary who was part merchent to one who
was part editor; and how sadly my appre-
tensions we're realized may be attested In
mart by letter which felt obliged TO write
the secretary in June, 1919. OF which toe
following h a copy:
"WEsroyeR. June IA. 1879.