The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-22


/ lar ICING worth forty in paper money
MR.. WOOD not viHGINIAN.
Leighton Wood. Jr.. Esq. was not ha'iNe
Virginian. lie had been sent o,o' -
fat6cr. an English gentleman. TO LOOK u.tel
certain landed property lying hion- 40
shores OF the Pamunkey iyer' ID hahoNe.
county. lie came at the time t.e Iarti'
cause was beginning TO engage t"e 49,
mind and when AZ ardent youthtui h"'"'o
might most naturally lie impressed pf tl'0 ~ ~
+ ,it,ug events OF the crisis then al hanH. ne
had not nnrhspe heard much OF the poAtcs
~ the time before leaving his home IN Eh--
land. In the meantime he had been ID INC
colony long enough 10 mako scqu"i
and FORM associations with tao pOAte am"
hospitable society that occupied tnat pDl'ill-
lar region Of country tie had Doubtless "'-
/ o,,freI the tastes and modes OF living common
- the Nlrriniaus Of that daV. lOuhu .ODhr,
MAI spirits among the youn2 men, anu nnu
become familiar aud welcome VISITOR az .No
freeides OF a warm hearted community. 1T
word. be- had found a new ana at'Iac.lNo
home and .elt himself 10th % return 10 Tie
restraints OF an old and eXactlng society.
His father must have had cause 10 complain
Of his pr0tracted delay. lie mad been az wee
ample time 90 perfect his business anu innAo
his reuort Suspicious were aroused as 70 DIS
LOYALTY. and be received peremptory orders 10
return al once on pain Of forfeiture o. MS
parental favor and being disinherlteA rom
any share ia to patrmOnlai estates; no
turning-pOint Of bis life had come. re ue-
clned 20 go tack 70 bis father ana 10 loiI NHe'
ureferring 10 share the fate OF the pNIi"t5
and his adopted state Ibis toreshadoWlhg
OF principle was strictly fulfilled N every act
Of his future lie.
A MODEST GENTLEMAN.
I'VE have seen how the state authorities had
found in Mr. Wood public officer perfectly
qualified Tor tho places to winch they h"u
elected him and capable OF performing my
Of the duties required at his hands but 10
himself strange 20 say. was sinSuiafiY hVer7e
10 holding any Office. His sensitive and mod
est nature caused him always 20 recoN from
assuming what he thought were undue re-
sponsibilties. IIe seemed ever 20 undeIfate
his capacities and although not AFRAID 10 90
his dufy vet he so valued bis personal stand
ing as "a man of character that ne WIS always
ap}reheusivc lest II should suher from some
irregulArIty incident 20 the complex nature
Of hls emplOyments. When ne was elected
Solicitor General and WAS required 10 give
bond IN a large amount. IA addition 10 taxing
two separate and distinct forms OF OatL, he
addressed The following communication %
Governor Edmund Randolph. We introduce
this characteristic letter here 10 illustrate
what has lust been said OF it, author ana 10
present - the reader some idea Of pubic
continent with regard u the holding OIL once
at that day.
"RrcHMoND, Va, January &c, 1877.
TO Governor Edmund Randolph
"Sir.-It was not until this day that knew
ANYTHING of the act of Assembly directing me
% give bond and security for the faithful dis
charge of my duty as solicitor and accounting
for certain sums Of money 20 be received uy
me. IL gives me some concern. sir, 10 ma
that after almost ten years continuance IN
publick service. and nearly seven OF them as
a principal IN one Office or the other. that my
faltf adj
IL au oath of Office Is not sufficient 20 guard
the pubhck from chicanery in their servants
should lay but little dependence IN Bond,
However since the Assembly has thought
proper TO direct u presume il Is right, and so
Tar as it respects the receipt If money, indu-
bitablv cOmmeudable. aud for the Just eXecu-
ton of that branch OF Duty. should have no
objection 90 make myself liable IN the street
est manner but for the faithful performance
OF the other official Duties. II IS rather too
hazardous tor me % undertake "a, literally 10
comply with'the Law KNOW is lmpractlcaOle,
or at least by Il man of 40 better ablil-
ties than myself, consequently. should
/ be SO unjust as TO give bond Tor
the execution of known impOssiuihues. /
could not be worthy OF Public confidence.
Add to this the base meanness must Judge
myself guilty Of IN asking Gentlemen 10 be
Bondsmen for me at time that l entertain
doubts OF being able 20 execute what they
engage for me 10 do. Indeed do not know
that II IL IN my power 20 obtain that favor,
having never had any idea OF such thing
being requisite and our fXcellency cannot
be ignorant that i stand deprived OF oil
family connexions tho grand source from
which all such advantages G1o derived
Still l might be induced 10 try. could
1 suppose J our ENceAency would admit
"A Bond for the faithful discharge of the
money transactions. as II never was neither
!. II now. my intention 10 receive single
penny OF IT, but negotiate the business IN
the reasury Once and, SO far az integrity ia
matters Of that kind is necessary, will dareto
trust myself, and moro | cannot do. For how
ever distressing "a sudden and unexpected
loss of Business may be. or however il 1t may
suit my private situation in life. shall prefer
struggling with tine difficulties II such
change may occur % the dIsagreeRble reiiec-
ton of undertaking what 1 am incapable OF
aud thereby deceiying. If not inlurng. my
Friends rs they who become my securities
must be IN every sense OF the word
GIVES THE BOND.
A few DAYS after the Governor bad received
tins frank expression of Mr.. Woods modest
and conscientious views. lie consented To give
the bond required by law. This WAS for ten
thousand pounds current money OF Virginia"
III his own and the names OF Peter Lyons.
JOha LYME, John iiatey Norton. George
Webb and David Cochran for the faithful per-
Torrance OK the duties of said Office, and with
PeytOn SOuthal. John PendetOn and James
HAYES AS suIeties.
NO sooner had Mr.. Wood gone into Office
than he was piled with all manner OF public
questions involving tue most important prln-
cples of finance. The decision OF these WAS
to establish presidents for the solving OF fu-
ture difficulties. The claims of foreign OIL
GERS who bad served in the American armies
during the war under the invitation or even
suggestion OF the State; the ways and means
by which they weTo 10 be compensated.
whether in land or in money. and the amounts
they were TO receive were some OF the Items
to be arranged III the solicitors office. These
and other such matters accumulated as time
passed The war had ended and the hour
Of settlement had arrived lie was
called upon 20 arrange the differ
ences between the State aud the Continental
Government In adjusting one part OF tins
important work endless difficulties presented
themselves. When called upon TO arrange
the expenses OF occupying the Illinois county,
for instance lie found II necessary TO 60 back
many years to include "A statement II the eA-
penses of Colonel Christians expeditions
against the Indians III 1916. against
the Union and not against the State.
The next moment he undertakes the
settlement of Beaumarchais claim against
hoo