The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-24

on. 20 s.,va treasurers down TO the death
| az Mr. Brooke and the appointment Vi m.
| ouelip Amber ESQ. IA his successor; -,
| latter filed the Office by annual re,eiec'iy{ui
| for sixteen consecutive TERMS unu ns
| doubtless havo continued to merit the cohu-
| dance OF the country had his official career
NOT suddonly ended by his death. when
! took Mace in 1898 His had been long ana
eventtul term of service The state had been
required TO pass through the severest financial
trials He had gone into Office Just ms now
I order OF things was about to be attempted.
| II had become necessary, If possible, that tho
State should establish n permanent revenue.
/ To this end. and because OF the multiplication
of business connected with the Treasury De
partmeut, a new set Of books had 10 DO
| opened, additional clerical force suppheu
| and their compensation arranged. All ioihheI
SOURCES OF revenue were to be revised ne"
subjects of taxation provided and the manner
of collecting the same authorized How these
| changes were effected, and what were tue re-
| suits and who was Instrumental In IehueIins
the most important assistance to the ifeasutei
in conducting the financial affairs oil THO o'@'0'
will appear IN the future.
MYSTERIOUS DEFICIENCY.
During Mr. Amblers entire service but one
| circumstances occurred calculated 10 uSlui9
his personal equanlmity or inc wen oiOs s 49,
| method of his Office. To the surprise OF the
| country AS well as his own deficiency IN MS
accounts appeared in tho year 1897. wnlch
| could not for some time be accounted tor. Inc
public were the moro surprised, not only on
account of the Treasurer's high character ana
long experience. but because the deianitet
| offense was not then known among the list OF
| crimes A balance Of more than tl22.OOO was
| found in the Treasury by tho examining
| COMMITTEES. but they failed to notice
| the deficit referred TO. Mr.. Amber
afterwards made the discovery himself
h a
| Council WhereupOn a special committee OF
! the General Assembly was appointed 10 re-
| examine the books OF his Office. and after eX-
pressing their undated confidence IN the
! Treasurer concluded their report in the fol-
! lowing words Your committee further beg
leave to observe that after having examined
the Treasurer's accounts with the greatest
accuracy and circumspection they cannot
| but think it part Of their duty In common
Justice to an able and honest servant OF the
public TO declare that 1t is their opinion this
deficiency has arisen from some cause I'M
known TO him" The sum unaccounted lot
was about 42,9l9.
HOW THE MISTAKE OCCURRED.
Mr.. Amber. although entirely exculpated
by this report did not rest satisfied. lie de-
termined to find out if possible how the mis-
take in his accounts had occurred. II should
be remembered by the reader that collectors
of taxes and all other dues to the state were
empowered to receive commutaDleS and otDer
articles TO their estimated value In money,
which articles at stated times were 10 be sold
and the amounts placed 10 the credit OF the
State IL proper caution or diligence were
not observed these articles might fail to real
jze the sums expected. or IN any event the
state Of the market might bring about the
same result. After a patient and protracted
investigation the anxious Treasurer found
that this had actually occurred. The ofhcer
nlA Of hA
commutables had not succeeded In getting
money enough to satisfy the amount OF the
tax This accounted for larger part OF the
deficiency A small amount OF arrears still
remained unaccounted for. Mr.. Amber at
once applied TO the General Assembly Tor au-
thority 10 make good out of his private purse
this small deficiency. This WAS done by a
unanimous vote on Joint ballot and the dis
tressing incident thus finally disposed Of To
| show how entirely he had retained the conf
dence of tho public for eleven consecutive
wears afterwards MIR Amber was reelected
| Treasurer Of the state.
According to one account the defalcation
referred to above was caused by the dishon-
| esty of one OF his CLERKS. But this does not APP
pear in the records of that time. Had 1t been
| true it would not have caused so much
| anxiety in tracing the trouble TO Its source.
| The offender would have been discovered aud
at once brought TO justice.
MR.. AMBLER's HOB CHARACTER.
Mr. Amber's high public position and the
long Identification OF his family with the
social history Of Richmond must be an excuse
for devotng q little more space to the memory
| of this excellent gentleman. According to
those who knew him best he must have e1-
| hlbited the highest moral and intellectual
| traits He had been Councillor of State dur
ing the Revolution. while Mr.. Jefferson was
Governor. and we have already seen how for
wears after the war he had served the state as
treasurer In the words OF another. he stood
as high as man of honor as any man who
| had lived either in ancient or modern times.
! lie was indeed. so remarkable for his scrupu-
| Ions integrity that he was called throughout
| the land the Aristides of Virginia =
He was as charitable a. his means would al
low him to be. No meritorious person IN dis
tress ever applied to him in vain His death
| produced profound impression upon society
| in Richmond. Although comparatively 4
| Young man. being only fifty-fve years OF age
| when that event occurred, his III
| fiuence in the community was very
great. This due not only TO the
| respect for his high character. but to the ex-
| IRENE urbanlty of his manners. At that time
there was a much greater observance of de-
corum in the intercourse OF people than Is
now paacticed The term gentleman had
a significance scarcely 10 be recognized at the
present day Among well bred people It was
rather an instinct than RUE ana the Sngnt-
est departure from its refined conventional
tiles BETRAYED at once the vulgar aud the
SMALL Mr. Amber had endeared himself 10
all classes of people by his uniform courtesy.
aud especially was this observable in the ad-
mlnistration of the affairs Of his Office. II Is
said that in all the sixteen years OF his official
life he never made an enemy. otwlthstand-
ING the trials and ye1atl1ns TO which hs pa
thence was subjected he had always succeeded
in satisfying the solicitations OF those whose
business brought them TO his Office. whether
their special ends had been accomplished or
not.
SORROW FOR HIS DEATH.
The loss of such a man from any com
munity would therefore be felt. But es-
pecially was Richmond 10 mourn tho un-
timely departure of one who was not only
universally beloved. but whose death left d
serious void in society bound together by
ties If kinship and long personal association:
O society unrivalied in its purity of senti-
ment, noted for its refinement OF manners.
and long distinguished for the intellectual
gifts of both its men aud its women. At that
time in certain circles every body knew every
body. and whatever of interest might occur
in one part of the community was instantly
felt over the whole. Even the very servants
seemed bound by common interest in the
affairs of their owners and we're proud TO be
considered honored members OF such and
such households
HIS DESCENDANTS.
Mr.. Amber left four daughters but no sons.
These and their numerous descendants lived
10 illustrate the high qualities OF their father
and 10 transmit 10 posterity examples of all