Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-01-27
annninted hy me as clerks.

Sd. That they were TO Oe charged 10 tuo
congressional districts from which they
lad been taken.
So understanding, I had written to a
member of your body expressing my WILL
ingness to these arrangements.
now learn that the rule adopted by
;he caucus not only assigns the respective
,lerkships of my office to particular con-
1ressionat districts, but takes their appoint
nenU out of my hands and places 1t IN the
hands of the representatives OF the re-
spectiye districts from which the respec-
tive clerks are to be chosen.
| cannot believe the members OF the
caucus have duly considered this rule IN
all it's bearings. During my term OF
yearS-mOre than five MIL
lions of dollars have passed through this
office. This money has to be received and
paid into the treasury by my CLERKS. All
accounts against the Commonwealth nave
to be examined and certified by them De-
fore sign warrants for their payment.
am responsible for their actions. My rep
utatlon Is largely lii their hands, as well as
that [ and my SuretieS are pecunlarlly re-
sponsible for their official actions. Yet it
is proposed that while alone am response
bic for these agents of mine, Others VINO
are in nowise responsible for what they do
are to appoint them. =.
| need not inform you how L have dis
charged the duties of Auditor OF PUBIC
Accounts for the last two years. upon
that point am willing for the testimony
of ali parties and all men of all parties to
be taken, and to accept the verdict OF the
whole people of the Commonwealth. !
hope it will not be deemed immodest If |
say our newly elected Governor but echoed
the almost universal sentiment when ne
said in his acceptance OF the nomination
which he had received, IF Mr.. Massey
had been twenty-five per cent. worse Au-
ditor than he is, he would now be making
this address instead of myself"
Again, I need not tell you or those whom
YOU represent anything about my past la
bors and services IN behalf of the meas
tres we have advocated and the party to
which we belong. These are known to
all. This much | will venture to say for
myself: If any have made greater sacrifices
or rendered greater services in their behalf ,
none have ever been more willing to yield
all personal considerations to prevent dis
cord and division in our ranks or to pro-
mote the public interest than [ have. Ii.
now. the ''rule of the caucus'' involved on
ly d question of personal preference or
ambition [ should acquiesce in Its de-
mands; but it is much more than this. 1t
is subversive of the universally accepted
rule that man should only be responsible
for the action of his agents so far as those
agents are subject to his authority. 1t not
only makes me responsible for other men s
appointees, but places the most important
interests of the Commonwealth in the
hands of men appointed by those who have
no responsibility for their official conduct.
Believing majority of the best people
of Virginia, of all parties, desire and ex-
pect me to continue in my present office, L
am a candidate for reelection; but, it re-
elected, | must have the appointment OF
nv assistants in office. l will cheerfully
receive and consider any recommendations
that may be made, and, so far as can con-
sistently with my responsibility and the
public interests, distribute my appoint
ments among the different portions of the
State. More than this cannot be reasona-
bly, required.
Allow me to say. in conclusion, I enjoy
the proud satisfaction of believing that ]
have the confidence and respect of my fell
low-cltizens generally. This 1 prize far
above the honors or emoluments of office,
and I can never consent to be placed in q
position in which l may lose chat conf
dence and respect through the action OF
agents appointed for me by Others.
Most respectfully submitted through yoG
to the caucus.
JOHN E. MASSEY.
HE DENIES THE REPORT OF HIS OPfO
NENTS THAT HE DOES NOT DESIRE
REFLECTION.
Mr.. Massey, two days afterwards, wrote
another long letter to the adjourned meet
ing Of the Readjuster caucus of which tht
following is an extract:
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA,
OFFICE AUDITOR PUBLIC ACCOUNTS,
RICHMOND, January 10, 1882.
Hon. Fl. C. Wood, Chairman of the Read
juster Caucus:
Dear Sir:-I wish to again speak to tn
ReadjuSter caucus through you. L havl
heard it intlmated that some members O.
the caucus believe that l do not wish to b.
reelected to the Office of Auditor of Pub
lie Accounts. l assure you that is not Ght
case. do eoish to be reelected. l wish il
for many reasons which hope are not al
together selfish. These, however, [ nee.d
not state. This much will say upon thai
point-I wish it because | do not wish to
receive so o1lE5Yad q cut from those with
whom and for avhona have labored so long
and so earnestly, as my defeat would be.
at the very moment of thu success of our
cause. But the controlling reason why
wish to be reelected is that the people OF
Virginia have so clearly indicated THEN
belief that [ can serve them better in the
Auditors office than anywhere else, and
have SO clearly indicated their wish for
my continuance in it, [ wish to repay this
confidence and to prove myself worthy of
it by faithfully guarding and protecting
their interest.
Mr.. Massey here cutters into a full &C
count of the detailed working of his office
showing that DO other Office handles dol
lar Of the Stats g money and that his Office
has the burden Of responsibility to bear
1t is a repetition of the facts given in his
letters printed above
In view of these facts, I appeal to the
caucus to change or modify Its rule so far
as the Auditors office is concerned. I do
not ask this to be done on ma account or
because OF any personal regard for me, or
anything which may have done, but SOLE
ly upon the ground that the interest and
safety of the State requires it. l again
state that will appoint none but Read
justers, and will choose them from differ
emit portions of the State, distributing as
widely as can consistently with the pub
lie interest.
Hoping and believing this will ba salts
factory to the caucus, 1 respectfully sub
nit it to their consideration. My apology
for troubling the caucus with written
communication is that have no other
way of making my wishes and opinions
known, since the privilege asked of ap-
pearing before the caucus in person has
not been granted me.
Very respectfully,
JOHN E. MASSEY.
THE SENATE DEFEATS THE ACTION OF
THE CAUCUS.
When the election for Auditor came up
in the Senate Mr.. Massey's friends joined
with the Democrats and adjourned with
out action. Intense interest was felt on
Tuesday morning as the election came up
again that day and if Mr.. Massey's friends
stood by him and adjourned again that day
the joint order would be broken and no
other attempt to GUST Massey could be
,,odo until anothnr mint order cnn1d he