The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-20

One Public service Rendered by III"
which should Not BE Forgotten

u-,.toi, -bonld Not BE Forgotten
Editor OF The Times: ,,t-
ehr-,rhcre was one public ser tl ,, se.,
cred bv Ran. Tucker OF "hi'u i .''' ,.,ry
~, mention in amy of lne hu.tC'N ..t,,ta.
i'.,risome and very appreciauNt
u35d 10 hls memory since ] l'
dfoht NOT. I think. 10 Doe ioi 5o.,'' ,..,,.
80. 1-frairfa. entered upon inc ser .'-.
f,isfue-s OF war. some thiit5-u" 49,.
ago. her sovereignty was ieli 'tri
d convention ass able, as p.lo =. Iii ba
otto ass any. ] appialthu' lHH' .If,u
assembled by amy stale ON aug ',.,,f,.,i
Nor ordinance OF secession was aupi'.'
IN The 11th Aprll 1851. Ten DAYS ui'l'
aftcr-tho convention having n the ilc"n-
time adopted other ordinances su,n 'l'
were deemed necessary IA lrl''i "''
PASSED one i'm these words.
"pe IN ordained hy the convention OF lht
Commonwealth Of Virginia, Ihat 1rol7o
W. MuniOrd. John X. llch'l' 1ili 80 80.
than NJ. Bennett amy TWO "l WON .i-.
act shall Dee n board OF comm -slollNi7'
vim authority TO audit and settle. upon
principles off law and Justice, AN accounts
Tor expenses incurred in the assembling
arming. Dluipulug and maintaining
troops. and for transporting munitions
Of war. and everything connected lH'it
with. for offering cQuipuiue, ana iuaiH-
tanning the navy Of the State. and for the
pay OF officers. scamcu, ana marines anu
employee at navy or dock yards lhcluu-
ing transport ration ol ordnance. ainuiH-
ton and stores Of every description. lNt
purchase of vessels and for damages
arising for seizure and detention or yes
scl- cor from injury or use OF cargo or
property of amy description, either hf
the land or naval forces, ana lot @ii o'il.
incidental expenses incurred DID iHc 81,
fence OF the State. including expenses lh-
cident TO The guarding. suppoi unf' anu
transportation Of prisoners or oluri-- .
This ordinance. passed on the Ztin APRIL
lNbl, was, on the ouiu OF the same HoHl"'
enlarged and amended, the same com,
missioner. however. being named ana
continued with power 20 appoint Clerk
or clerks &c. and it continued in force
during the entire period of the war.
The three gentlemen thus selected ana
appointed without one word having HF'H
said 20 either of them iu advance We're
known throughout the commonwealth,
known Tor their high intelligence Nalu-
able business experience. irreproachdnli
character and unuucstioned and unques-
tlonable integrity. Colonel Muniord was
al the time The Secretary Of the COM
monwealth. Mr Tucker was the Attorney
General. Mr. Bennett was the Auditor OF
Public Accounts
They entered az once upon the DIS
charge OF their new duties lin conjunction
with the official duties already noun
bent upon theml. and / con TESTIFY from
personal acquaintance with tdcn. anu
from having been frequently presrnt
when they were sitting as "a board. that
they performed with absolute ndthtY anu
unWraried zeal the powers ana dutleS 10
which they had been so hCnorably called.
! have not at hand the necessary data
for showing the amount of the disburse.
ments audited and allowed by them but
happen 20 have two financial statements
from which IL appears that the amount
OF warrants issued by the Auditor Of Pub
hc Accounts for the year ended on the
Both September 1892 was s 65s, $40 y
amount issued for the year ended on the
3nth September. 1853 SO 434. 1922. To-
tai for two years OF the war. S2f O93 GlG.1I.
or course very much the largest portion
or this large sum was for the military
department alone all Of which. pursuant
10 the ordinance constituting the board,
was paid by the Auditor upon their direc-
ton. THOMAS II ELLIS
Washington, -. c.. Feb. II. 1897.