The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-24
EARLY VIRGINIA DAYS.
.oxn or TIE STATE rREAsUREEs.
c.a~.. webb and George Brooke.
Mr.. Jacaueiip Amber succes"s 70 '"'
omce-Brief sketch of His Career


18th which he managed the financial ahalr'
- Tho colony Whatever might have been his
nrivate opinions. when the war broke out he
oorld not consistently have taken sides Win
VIRGINIA having thus been SO recent recip'-
an. ~ tho royal favor lie was native. Ills
~a,e,pal homo at Turkey Island lay but
short distance from the seat OF ms oi''c'a' ca
reer while in all the surrounding country
representatives Of his numerous ana inii u. en-
tial FAMILY occupied estates car 'eu ou' % W.
s,"st ,evritorv owned by his father. hooeft
rar,or N,rhoiss as We have seen, succeeueu
IN bnt declined t. hold the ONCE us
s~nn "a be found himself thereby disabled
from further political preieIhehT a' &c . con
80 se,vice was too short TO have been OF con,
sideyation farther than TO elicit the approval
I'D commendation OF the General Assembly
upon receiving bis resignation
GEORGE WEBB
A.tbis inncture and while the resources OF
tbe State were 40 their lowest degree. George
Webb Esq., was elected treasurer. Nheh
IN January I71s he entered upon MS dltieS
L. t~rrd I'm. ~ l3s to the credit OF the Com
,ror,realth and II 795 in forged or counter
feit certificates. His responsibilities were
r,cat but he soon proved 70 the pubic that
r. amounting him they had not made n mis-
take We cannot undertake 10 trace mere the
stems bv which N q comparatively short space
az time tho county began 10 feel the effects
of ms management. The first settlement OF
his accounts made IN October OF that year,
showed balance Of more than t23.OO0 IN
fsvor of the State and in the following year,
about the same date this balance had IN
creased to nearly 100000. In the meantime
he had met the demands -ot the Government
In the midst of the most trying period OF the
var IL may be that the trials and RESPONSE
biljties of his position proved too great, snd
we find him sending in his resignation early
in December of 1873. but so important were
his services Just at that time that the Gov
ernor and Council prevailed upon MN 10 re-
main on active duty until the end OF the same
year. In the meantime the General Assembly
elected George Brooke. Esq, his successor
while they made Mr.. Webb member OF the
Executive Council TO fill a vacancy ID that
important body. The latter had paia over 10
the new treasurer nearly $50 900 as the result
of his late management Of the finances OF the
GEORGE BROOKE. ESQ.
George Brooke. Esq. went into Office late
An 1779. was reelected in December. lIoV, foT
the ensuing year. When CHOSEN the seconu
time the Treasury showed a balance OF -5JO.-
A7f Mr. Brooke belonged 10 an ancient and
honorable family, who had long held estates
I'm King William. Spotsyivania and Stafford
counties Chief among these was Mania
nike situated on the MattapOnl IN King Will
liam county. The first of the name who came
10 Virginia accompanied Governor Spotswood
ON his famous ride over the mountains 10 the
Vsiiev of virginia One OF his descendants
has left upon record the statement that he
had himself seen verltaole specimen OF the
'.Order of the Horseshoe" III the possession
of a relative IL was made of pure gold, the
periphery of the shoe being set IN emeralds
representing the heads of nails while on the
exergere were to be seen engraved the APP
propriate motto, Sic Iuvat transcendere
monies
one of the family Robert Brooke in con-
junction with William Mayo. Esq, had been
appointed by the Royal Commissioners, Wil-
liam Byrd, John Robinson and John Grymes,
ESQ.,. in 1886 10 establish the bounds OF LORD
Fairfax's grant in the Northern Neck.
Other members of the family held at differ
ent times prominent positions IN the Govern
ment were members of the council, and one
succeeded Henry Lee as Governor OF the
State. Another became an oihcer OF hlgh
rank in the Virginia navy Of the Revolution,
aud still another after having done merito-
Tous service under Washington subsequently
became president Of the court Of appeals,
and to this day is remembered by many for
the remarkable vigOr of mind and body with
which be presided over that august tribunal.
JACQUELIN AMBLER.
The new treasurer George Brooke, was in
Office but u short time, during which he dis
PLAYED unusual financial abilities and great
industry IN the performance Of his official du-
ties Unfortunately he died early III the year
1882. and was immediately succeeded by
Jacqueln Amber, Esq. on the 18th OF Apr!
of the same year. Upon an inspection OF MIR.
Brooke's accounts the affairs Of the Treasury
were found TO be in as healthy a condition as
the state of tho country would allow. The
currency was much deprecated; certificates
of values and all other kinds Of paper money
had become so abundant and compared with
specie of 50 little value that change of some
sort had become necessary ID financial leglsla-
ton The relative value of specie, both gold
and silver and certain specific articles re-
ceived by the Government had TO be re-estab-
lshed, the land tax was to be modified and
indeed general revision of the entire system
OF taxation was TO he lnauguarated Tins I'M
portant movement had been begun III
1850 while Mr.. Brooke was treasurer and
had been carried partially INTO operation
when no was OVertaken by death. Mr.
Amber had already succeeded TO the order of
things consequent upon the acts OF Assembly
providing for these changes and was now over
whelmed by his new and responsible duties
Under these circumstances the Government
had already found IT necessary TO summon to
its aid the services of two additional officers.
Immediately after the resignation of Mr..
Webb. the late treasurer, who had been made
member vi the Pryy Council, two new
auditors had been elected by JOlnt ballot.
These were Leighton Wood. Jr., Esq. and
Harrison Randolph. Esq. OF the former we
shall have occasion 10 speak more partlcu-
larry hereafter.
sUFFERINGs or THE PEOPLE.
The Commonwealth had of course created
board Of auditors soon after the formation
of the Government for the control and direc-
ton of its finances under the authority of the
General Assembly. The latter however. had
found IT necessary from time to time to re-
neal the acts under which this board derived
It's powers and had its duties prescribed. The
latter had 10 be changed or modified as the
needs OF the country demanded. At the time
OF which We now write these were of a COM
pick and very exacting nature. The cOuu-
try had been for SIX years in the
throes OF devastating war. The suffer
ings of the people greatly increasing.
and although they did not feel the immediate
pressure of taxation. because they had moth
ing with which to pay them. yet there were
other and serious causes of COM
plant All their funds had been absorbed
in the preparations for war and maintaining
the army. Their estates and personal pro-
perry now began 10 be consumed. Both the
State and Continental service had TO be sup
ported. To do this leyes and impressments
were made. The farmers saw their cattle.
their stock and other substance disappear be-
fore their eyes at the demand Of the impress
ing officer and his promise To pay This
went ON until at last they began 10 demand
an adjustment OF the numerous and increasing
claims they had against the Continental and
State Governments. The General Assembly
found IT necessary 10 do something for their
relief. For this purpose an act was passed
inf t,rf = no In