The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-08

|
who was present at the meetings of the
| City Committee. as the representative
| OF the Dispatch. ] also then read Mr..
| Wallace's letter 20 the editor OF your
! paper, dated September 231, written for
the purpose OF indicating his course, as
represented In your issue Of the 10Th OF
September, and your reply thereto, offer
| Ing TO publish that letter IL he would
extirpate from II. or allow you 20 DO So
certain offensive illusions TO your paper,
and the reporter. which illusions I'm my
opinion. could have been omitted or. at
| least, made entirely unobiecticnahle with
| out. in the least, weakening the positions
| Of Mr.. Wallace, therein set forth.
| then adjourned the further consideration
Of the matter until the next day at an
| hour named, and cent request 10 Mr..
| Wallace. by Captain Hall, to come before
me then and make his statement / was
informed the next day by Captain Han
/ tfat MIR. Wallace declined 10 take any
! part in the investigations but that Mr..
| Plc3sants would appear before me and
| complete his statement (Which he was
| urable to do because Of an engagement
| the evening before, aid during the day /
| heard this additional si1tement from Mr..
! Peasants. as well az the statements
: OF Messrs. Landerkin. Hobson, Eppes and
| Phillips, all members Of the City Com
mittee. All Of these statements were
made in the presence of Captain Hall
and Mr. Murrell, and both OF these gentle
men were permitted to ask any question
! of the witnesses they saw proper 10 ask.
| This being all the testimony adduced, or
| that any desire was expressed 10 have adj
duced before me, / have considered the
same matureIy, and have reached the
following conclusions. viz:
| First That the reports Of the pro-
| ceedings Of the City Committee, as con-
/ tanned in your issues Of the 10Th and
| 9th ultlmo, are substantially, If no. lit
| orally. correct.
Secondly. That in view Of your re-
| ply to Mr.. Wallace's letter Of the 2Sd
Of September Offering to publish his vim
dicitiop If certain offensive illusions
TO your paper and reporter were omit
ted, and which. / repeat, could and
should, In my opinion, have been omit
ted from Mr.. Wallace's letter, or at least,
made unobiectionable I'm language. before
It was published, l think Mr. Wallace's
| evident attack on your paper and re-
porter, I'm the City Committee, as set out
I'm your issue Of the 9th Of Septem-
Der was unjustihable and improper;
that, smarting under the injustice Of
this evident attack. II was only reason
| able and natural that your reporter
as well from fealty TO his paper as
from what ne considered due 10 his own
self-respect. should have rctOrted as he
did I'm his report Of the proceedings CON
tanned in your issue Of the 9th Of Sep
TENDER
The members Of the City Committee
who have made statements before me
are divided I'm opinion as TO whether
or not the comments as contained in
your paper Of the nth, are too severe
Whilst these comments arc severe. yet
! think the provocau)n offered by Mr..
Wallace was very great. lie made his
attack on the floor OF the committee,
OF which he was a member where Meth
er you nor your reporter could reply
10 him, and that attack was i'm my opin-
ion. very offensive I'm its character.
and as I have said. uniustifiable. In
deed. judging from the language used
on both Sides / think the real differ
ence betN cen the assaillng parties con-
sists. not in their intent or meaning Ia
hit each other as hard rs they could.
but only from the fact that the re-
porter had the last say" and the larger
and more sympathetic audience. This
whole unfortunate affair seems to have
grown out OF. I'm my judgment. a mis-
taken idea on the part Of Mr.. Wallace,
and perhaps other mtVbers Of the City
Committee, that they should be
exempted from public criticism
whilst I'm the discharge OF
their duties. This position ] think, is
wholly untenabe They are public ser
wants. voluntarily discharging without
compensation, and often disagreeabie
and thankess, hut none the less i'm
portant public functions. and the only
way in which they can be held respon-
sible 10 the public for what they do
Is by publishing what they say and do
in the discharge Of their duties II is
IN this way only that the public can
form any judgment as 70 the fidelity and
competency of the individual members
Of this body and determine what changes.
II any, should be made i'm IT, when their
several terms expire. ] think IL due to
Mr.. Wallace 10 say that. I'm my pinion,
the motives which inspired his original
resolution to curtail the reports OF the
committees proceedings, were pure. But
7 think he was mistaken. both in trying
to enforce the wrong principle embodied
I'm that resolution. and IN his subsequent
conduct in regard thereto. Believing then,
as I do that i'm trying to establish and en-
force a mistaken and wrong principle.
ne has pursued a mistaken course, and
I'm doing so become the author Of his
present position, and in that way mer-
tied what he has received at the hands
of your reporter through your paper,
7 have reached the conclusion that you
are under no Obligation 10 him TO make
further reparation through your columns,
and I so report
Respectfully submitted.
GEORGE L. CHRISTIAN.
ACCOMMODATING the above report sent to
Mr.. Wallace was the following letter
from Mr. Bryan:
Richmond. Va. oct. 4, 1898.
Jefferson Wallace. Esq. Richmond, Va,
Dear sir:-Captain Cunningham Hall
having. i'm your behalf, represented 10
me that YOU felt aggrieved by certain
statements In the local reports In The
Times Of the 10Th and 9th ultimo Of
the proceedings Of the city Committee. ]
proposed to Captain Hall as the best
means Of arriving at a just determine
tion Of this matter. and in order 10 do
Justice 10 all concerned-to have the facts
investigated by a competent ana disin-
tercsted gentleman. and suggested inc |
name Of Judge George L. Christian. Mr.
Hal approved this method. though II
was understood that the investigation |
was being for me-and that You were |
rot a formal party to 1t. judge Chris
tian has lust sent .n his statement and !
decision which I herewith send. and |
from II, It appears that The Times mas
not done you wrong
RegrettIng that this controversy should |
have arisen. and assuring yo1-as | did |
CAPTAIN Habitat l would cheerfully |
repair a wrong when one had been done, |
l am yours respectfully,
JOSEPH BRYAN.
In reply to this Mr.. Bryan received the |
I'll.