The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-12-09
mo. SO.

| returned for second offences. Several cases
nave occurred in which conyicts, who have
Deen discharged under one name, have been
| returned under another for second cfiSsice
and sometimes they have been sent jrcn diff
ierent districts by the sau,c. name. 1t ist&-
ten impossible to identity the prisoner du-
ring trial Tor "a second offence and whetr
| MS sentence has been pronounced for a sie-.
cihed Duration OF coz. tirement, there is-uo
power by which the additional r.nu.shne.t
can be inflicted. Ii the law, were amendsd
50 as TO authorize the superior court of Hen
rico to pass sentence for additional ruri,sh-
ment. notwithstanding any sentence wiich
may have beeu passed by the Court before
WHOM the offender was last convicted il
would be hardly possible to evade the law
Tor the Penitentiary officers can always
identity the person. of tile prisoner
sometimes, acts of violence are Commit
ted by the prisoners in The, PenSentiary enc
upon the other To prevent great mischiefs
ana verse consequences, would ii not he
proper tomakc hose confined therein, coin
Epeteht witnesses in SuCh cases for and o..
.ainst each othcri And should not thu. I5,s
express the period of Confinement in every
instance. for second offence. or for an e.
cape, and not leave il 10 che discretion of any
court whatever?
n subject OF some interest for the consi
Iteration ofthe legislature, is the pablo pro-
perry III various parts of the country.-fhat
at the Point of Fork, on which stands a Iap.-e
building going fast to decay, formerly used
as an arsenal; also some lands not far from.
that place, require particular attention.
perhaps. Ic would be well to dispose of this
property, as the rent reserved is small and
not sufficient TO keep the buildings in repair.
Inc OLD situation OF the Buckingham Iron
WORKS, with severa! hundred acres Of land r
does not produce the interest of the money
Cfsf ..rIn oil ~ 49,.
TIC property, wheresocver it NAV be. sruust
DC liable tn waste in its timber and huild.
lnSs. 1t would therefore be well for the L..
SiSiature TO say what shall be done with il.
AND mere give me leave to suggest the pro.
pnety OF vesting the foregoing propertyir,
the hands OF the trustees appointed for the
experimenting sgd nianag cling the buildings
near 'his City, designed Tor an Academy,
the toundatioa Of which is now laid.--'rhis
institution being fostered and natronize,lu nm.
der the eye of the legislature. may become
nShiy useful to our country, and will, in all
prJbabiiity, lay the foundation of still great
~ improvements.
The public warehouse in this CITY, might
be improved to advantage, by directing a
hoor 10 De iai m the roof of the building.
which would hold Considerable ouanti,vo f
Hour tor storage, and soon reimburse the
public the e%pence attending the improve
meAt after which, it would bring an annu.
al Proht INTO the treasury, in aid Of what is
produced by the storage of tobacco being
TINS wear 81, POS. IS CTS. as appars by a re porr
OF the keepers of that building
n proposition from the state of Pennsvlva-
ma Is herewith submitted. with Governor
ohyoers letter accompanying the same in
winch Is suggested the propriety of amends.
ing the Constitution of the u. States. so asl
to prevent collision between the government
o. me Union and the State Governments
Also 'USnicaiiors from Massachusetts &c
i>entucky, disap. rowing the proposed a.
mehdment to the Federal Constitution sue.
Sested by virginia, for the removal of the
senators or each state by the legisla ures
"f the respective states "a resolution ofthe
Senate OF the United States appointins, a
committee to enquire into the expediency of
amending the act establishing The Courts of
the General Government and a letter from
the Senators from this state, on the subject
OF permitting the Importation of slaves nm
der Certain circumstances. These subjects
VIII require early and prompt attention.
l. lie dea'a OF our upright ard valuable fell
low citizen Joseph Prentis ESQ late Judge
OF the General Court, occasi oned a vacancy
In that department which mas been fi,ledfby
the appointment OF James Scmpte, ESQ 1T
Is ior the legislature to confirm OF not this
appointment under the Constitution. as to
them shall seem Just and proper 4 vacancy
mas also taken place In the Executive Couii-
Gil by the resignation of Alexander Stuart,
Esquire.
The subject to which I now beg leave to
draw your attention. I touch with great del
icacy, not being certain of The propriety of
the measure. since it may not be Thought to
tall within the pale OF Executive duty It's ,
the present organic ltion of the Court of ;
Appeals, which appears in many re .pects not
calcsiateC &c Promote the public GteI ests--
ne small nsmber Of judge, Whl lie it has
tendency to create delay o. justice, alrca~
dy complained of, and not without fuunda-
ton, must necessarily produce the deplora-
bic elect OF diminishing the weight of au-
thorlty, which ouSht to attend the decisions
OF that tribunal Indeed however truly
learned tie present or any future Jadges nav
be, (aud here freely offer "a inc ense at the
altar OF truth and justice, when I saw mat.
on these points, there's no exec ~ ion to those
already in nifce it seems solecism in in.
= sprudencc, that the opinion of Two iJyes
only shnu'd frequently prevail over. aud set
tie The law, ~ opposition - the remaining
IdSe OF the saiuc court, aud possibly t. the "a.
narimous opl ZION # the m.,u, eniVh;ened
Judges OF the Che,ncery and (Senei al Court.
ne miDds of DIR Citizens ca not be satisfied
with decisions under such circumstances
nor viii tue law OF INC ond be considered ts
talriy settled II consequence IF which un.
certainty and litigation nnst coatiuuailv i,