Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-19
100 rEoM GENERAL FIELD.
,,,. s....mens shatise Received No Fees -.
90 .ss,,,. a. Attssnsy-Gsnsrai In STATE o.
FEDERAL Ceurss. 49,. f,oc,,xsvuty.3


fedesst e'" NEAR GoED0SsviLLE,
September II, 1854. }
10 the Editor Of the Dispafch' 800,
Inst Is the senate MSS about 70 ani'n'a
,.,st ,rontt the Auddor' IN RESPONSE I'm.
ys.o,utien Of the ssna's' sen. !" Wa.
,o,,nicatIon relating TO iees pa q .no p
:, NJ Acknowledgement o''!s'ue o' w 49,,
lar salary. This communication. ~ ~ LAT
reference was made TO me, oIa Ins s .rs
,njustice, and tended very s,rvnsiy ~ I'M, If
nm erroneous impression y" .no ,n'.,o,or
!, ...ss ~ he intention OF the Audi,or'
:" we" os wr smith, bis clerk. to mis-
;.nts mr. 10 wrong me. inns
' Inn was published pretty i,ii.y
:, your u,pers, and beg space enoago :"
80, that - soon n I saw the couinnnica
49,, rrer AIRED a statement In reply anu
'1n, 4 10 the Hon. John l.. Hurt. fresiueu,
of,ie senate: but twas not received "ntl,
tho ps0hi before the senate a0lourbs', ~"
when there was no opportunity ior n.''hs
n rr,nted. 40 that It's statement n,ig"s ~
sc,n a nd considered along wltn the Gum
mrnicaticn 81 the Auditor. o.;d
Tho Auditor. after stating the ices pau
,bc ATTORNEY. General since The ist OF jaw
uary. 1884, said in substance tnat nis ~.
,hority for paying the fees WIS tnr 'a, .n.'
similar fees had been paid me WINE A,'o'.
nev. {, neral. snd that | had interpreted Tue
law or case AS authorizing the payment.
In this statement the Auditor u entiIe.
raistsken. / never interpreted any ~" y,
cose relatinv to ices. and his Office ",i' nol
show that ore cent was eyer demanded DIV
or RAID 10 me az fees for any service VI shy
court. state or Federil, during the t'r u oi
,eryicc RON the LIST day Of January, 1878
IN tho 1T day OF January. 1887. FROM Tue
L.st Of August. 1877. to the lst OF January,
1873. while was filing the uneXp'red term
al Mr.. Daniel. and Leforc the law chang'"s
the Attorney-GenersPs compensation tooN
eject some few fees for service in tie Cur
cut Court OF The city OF Richmond may
have been paid. IL any such were pau
the amount was so small tAlt ''h
not now able 10 recall it. For the Tour
yeYrs | was Att9rEey-Gencrsl' serF-
ing under my election as such. appeared
IN tie supreme, Circuit, and D'strlct
courts OF the United States az Washington
Richmond. Norfolk, AleXandnl, LVnco-
iurg and Danyile, in many highly III
poJtant cases, and have never received one
cent as fees for the service. NOR Gu re-
.,aie courts while was in Office. Upon
the decision OF the motion OF Ihon Us.
TIE Commonwealth, nearly two years after
left the Office. | wa kindly informed by
the present Attorney General that L was
entitled 10 cerisin fees that had never
drawn, and which the Auditor would pay
me upon presenting the certificate OF the
clerks of the courts that services had been
rendered IN cases finally disposed OF.
These certificates were forwarded
me. and upon them drew what
il seemed | was entitled to-n1 more,
no less. When the case OF ThOn Us. The
commonwealth was first called ] stated to
the Court Of Appeals that | was prepared
10 argue that the Commonwealth was
entitled to the fees taxed IN the costs,
but that [ would not arsue in that
or nny other case in favor Of matter
in " hlch ] had even a remote pecuntry
interest. The amount paid me upon the
certificate Of the clerks for my four years
service was some $1,000 or Sl,l00. The
Auditor. Office will show the precise
amount. Ny communication to the Senate
stated fully everything in connection with
nv fees and compensation ~ Attorney
General. regret that that communication
was not print d hope it will be when tae
Senate rCassembles next month.
In the mean time may ! ask the insertion
in YOUR paper Of this letter?
/ am very truly ours. &c,
JAMES &. FIELD.
J.. s. II may not be improper TO state
that the Legislature Of ls7S-'79 placed at
my disposal 81 900 with which to retain
assistant counsel in certain cases, but not
one cert OF this appropriation was ever
used by me. / performed all the service
myself.