The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-06
AFTER THE REVOLUTION.
,,RerNIA's HISTORY CONTINUED.
cat restitution OF tho Pcopie-Troublcs
and rerpierities OF tho shcrins and pepu-
tles-uard Case of Sir John reyton'

..trons suffered IN TINS respect aS much IA
s.s the HIGH sheirias. their deputies and their
.oret.es will now appear 10 must he re-
..enbsred that although rclci was from time
e., time granted 70 these officers they were not
-, this account freed from the ultimate pay
,,snt Of their financial responsibilities 20 tho
s,sfe. A sheriff for instance, who had not
..roeted and accounted for the taxes of the
GEAR 1882. in any single county. was held re
.-,oeihle for them until they should be entirely
I.r,lated. Such were the necessities OF the
government and 20 relentless were the de-
..ris of the law that he and his SUCCESSORS
.ri heirs were held bound for the Amounts
,rs until they were paid. Executions were
lo'l .rom year 20 year. over the heads OF
fl..e unfortunate officials. Jhoy were thus
instantly on the strain. cndeavorng 10
e.te or free themselves entirely from the
,...trre of the law the shadow # whose wing
seemed forever oarkenlng their path More
tlsl flis. although their terms of Office may
1--we expired. .hey were not thereby freed
.rom their responsibilities They were re-
osrel by special statute 20 pursue the dehn-
.reut taxpayers and their lawful succe sors
aa, The last farthing had been paid If they
succeeded in collecting from time 10 time
.r.l amounts as showed that due diligence
LAD been exercised IN the performance OF
.le.r duties. they were granted such Temporal
rg relief as seemed proper. This Indulgence
Il nothing more than postpone the day ~
fra settlement. II in the end II appeared
tlat the delinquent sheriff could not meet the
demands on the law. the commonwealth
JOSS. resort was against his private fortune IN
fle meantime ms only SAFETY from hnancial
ruu was ID DO found ia bringing suit against
ls deputies and their securities.
PETITIONS FOR RELIEF.
So numerous were the instances Of what
la. Just been said that the records OF the
tro abound with petitions for relief. pro-
ce.3iurs IN the county and general court
AGAINST collections of all kinds executions.
.-narSedeas aud every other device known 10
ill., law in the settlement OF these intricate
and troublesome questions between the
terp.e and the Government. ms unhappy
l.r1.Euu of things continued for many years.
A, late as the year 1859 the sherfs and depu-
te. II some OF the largest and best counties
were stlu greatly IN arrears for taxes that had
been due more than "a half dozen years Car
and Harrison. for instance, sheriff OF Han
over still owed the State p. 339 for the tax
0+ l--2 The sheriff Of Bedford county
over for the accumulated dues from 1888 to
l-. James Barbour, sheriff of Cul-
rener still owed f1,7s4 for the
wear 1854 and upwards. Henry
Whiting. Of Berkeley. fs51 for the year 1854,
and the sheriff OF Pittsylyania. Abram Shelton,
was do arrears Il $50 for that large and pro-
gu.tive county. In the eastern part of the
State. among the older counties, where the
population was greater. and where 1t might
le inferred there was propOruonately more
substance. tho condition OF things WAS posi-
h.r worse Lawrence Baker sheriff OF Isle
Of Wight. still owed the state 1924. including
ta4 taxes of 1796 Colonel William A. Wash
iarton. Of Westmoreland. was delinquent IN
t.s sum Of II $50. and William Gail. sheriff of
Prince George county. Il. 1862. and the sherit
a. Prince Edward. Philemon. HOlcamp. Al,16S.
Tie sherhs of Lancaster and Nanse-
u0nd were propOrtiOnately delinquent; and,
as was the case with nearly all OF the
tneT sherihs. were ultimately ruined IN their
private fortunes The sums herein enumer-
ated may not appear 10 the eyes of modern
tranclers great amounts. But when IL is re
rendered that they had 10 be paid in gold or
p ser coin. or transferable tobacco notes re-
cslvaole at the treasury. or their equivalent,
.ecame, IN those days Of financial distress.
aseuous matter 10 realize such sums otmOney.
CONDITION or THE STATE.
IF we have dwelt somewhat in detail in thus
giving the amounts of individual delnquents
md the names of the several counties and
ile.r sherins it is that the reader may the bet
Ger understand the true condition of the state
20 tie time. A few more remarks III the same
direction viii nOs. therefore, be inappropriate.
ID should be remembered that the Office OF
DIG. rltIAN was, rs q lu4cs utlA ~ IltA va
substance and influence Now and then 1t
Gel. o. the i0t of the rich and was considered
o. post of honor as well as a means OF accumu-
latlg money under ordinary circumstances.
The deputies and their sureties were also CON
sIerrd worthy OF the positions they occupied
before the public. They were not, as Is
tol mmOn in modern times. mere men OF
straw put up under forms OF law 10 thwart
tie ends of Justice They, too, were cOnsld-
cred entitled 10 the respect and esteem OF the
community as well as credited with the
amount of property required by the response
Die positions they were TO assume.
From these considerations 10 may be I'M
agllel what were the caamltous conse
lgeuces resulting from the losses sustained
bV these several officials. With their private
fortunes gone they were no longer able 10
give aid 20 labor OF encourage enterprise. IL
s. stated that the county OF Gloucester alone
Lad before the war Il large amount of capital
aal labor embarked IL ship-bulldng. -Four
-.llred hands thus engaged had been
Oh. ged 10 employ themselves with their own
axes cutting down the ship lumber and trad
l. 30 Oh IN Norfolk for the supplies neces-
cay % the support OF their families. instead
o. shaping 10 into vessels tor the building up
tie commerce Of their State.
SCARCITY OF MONEY.
neyen the smallest amounts collected from
tie people by the sherih5 10 postpone for
Ar lAr ANiiAlAe OF kAt IONCIulItub UPON
them. could have then returned into
genera. circulation. the publ would not
have SD severely felt the want OF money. 10
would then have been passing from one mans
pocket into that of another In this way the
Use ia few dollars has often afforded relief
O. ute q large community. But untOrtu-
Iater this could not be Every cent over
al above the money used in the most eco
l.ucally administered Of governments had
% he devoted 10 the liquidation OF debts due
without the limits of the State. What were
iLe,s demands and how they were finally
settled may hereafter be seen but can
only be referred L. here. We should
81. t0do Justice 20 the patriots OF that trying
e,a we've Ne 10 omit 20 refer here 10 another
-ct They had endured the trials
a-d penis of the war; had been encourage
b. Gle thought that when independence had
Teen achieved new ana brighter future
should open upOn them. and that with peace
horl come prosperity and plenty. IN these
e1pr.tatl0us they now felt themselves soreiy
Q4ulunted For the time 10 seemed 20
some that their condition was worse than
Wien tho royal Government existed IN the
country. while few did not hesitate to ex-
i3.s heir regrets that they had ever taken
I-f, in ile Revolutionary struggle. tut WINE
Ns was true such was the general tone O.
pubic sentiment. both as % the execution OF
DE aW and the obedience 70 their Dehests,
.-ai il 40 case. 50 far as We have found. was
We're even any threatened resistance TO the
demands OF the new Government. In
s.-y 20 pay was the universal