Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-29
Mr. Biatr-A Letter From Colonel
Rubin.
To tie Editor Of the Dispatch:


TO tie Editor Of the Dispatch:
The platform of the Republican
party charges the Democratic party
with
"Squandering the revenues of the
State by an extended and an extra
session; by partisan, malicious, and
unwarrantcd Investigations; by fees
for unnecessary counsel employed in
cases where the Attorney-Genersl was
well equal to the occasion; and by
every wsSteful means common to
profigste and unprincipled graspers of
public power and plumber"
The only specification Of the above
charge to which | feel particularly
called upon to reply is that which
speaks Of the ." fees for unnecessary
counsel employed in cases where the
Attorney-General WAS well equal to
the OCCASION" That questions sup
pose with the priVity Of Mr. F. S.
Blair-the official conduct OF the Com
mi>sioners of the Sinking Fund. of
which body have the honor to be
member, along with Colonel Morton
Marye, the Auditor Of Public Ac-
counts, and with Mr.. Isaac r. Barks-
dale. the Treasurer Of the Common
wealth. That Board has retained coun-
sci in certain cases to assist or to sub
stitute the Attorney-Gcneral, as shall
proceed briefly to explain and Justify.
But in the outset it is proper to say
that so far from squandering the rcye-
nues OF the State, the Commissioners
have not paid one solitary cent to any
of the counsel they have employed; not
one solitary cent. No appropriation
for that purpose having been voted, they
had no money to pay; and having no
authority to promise any, they have
not promised it. Yhe counsel they did
engage in several cases, with the ap-
pIOval Of Governor Cameron, always
promptly given, we're retained with the
understanding that in each case they
should look solely to the Legislature
for such fees as that body might choose
10 pay, except when certain parties have
thought proper TO guarantee the fees
ont Of their private pockets.
The following are the cases and al
tendsnt circumstances Of such employ
ment Of counsel:
Q) On the llth August, 1884, GER
tain mandamus cases were set for trial
in the court of Judge Robert W.
| Hughes United States District Judge
and they were adjourned to the ii
/ September in consequence Of the alb
sence Of Mr.. Blair and other counsel.
These cases involved the proper con-
structiOn Of the Riddleberger lava
matter Of great consequence, as NAV
be judged from the fact that under
Judge llughes'S construction $3Gl.-
29l.5O of consul and ten-forty coupons
had been funded in new SIS at par:
when the amendment of the law by the
act OF August p, 1884, stopped fur
Their funding. Though | had been as
Sured on the Goth of August bv his
clerk, Mr.. K. d. Ward, that the above
cases would be attended to on the 81
of September by Mr.. Blair without
any further agency Of mine, yet on that
day Mr.. Blair was not present, and
though urgently telegraphed for by the
Governor he failed to come, and this
important suit was decided against the
Commonwealth on the 81 of Scptem.
Der, Mr.. Blair being still absent and
SO entered on the record.
Under this state Of facts the Commits
sionerS Of the Sinking Fund, deeming
that they had had good ground for de-
Tending these suits, and the Governor
being absent, engaged Colonel w. w.
Gordon, whom the Governor had
previously engaged as general coun.
sci to assist Mr.. Blair. Colonel
Gordon went actively to work in the
cases; but when the court met on the
9TH Of October his reception by Mr.. |
Blair was Of such a character as to
cause him to retire; which he did,
charging nothing for his services, aud |