The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-01-18

49,, '" -. "soldtd. rbs So
pro9"ssd BY the bill was setting fes'a
Gen, winch he could not sanrlios PIE.
Mr.. Stuart replied To the a..
bo,h on the ground of the Cons,ss'e.toa,-.
OF ps'Tcy. II surely could moi h.. lion M
tutlonal io divide Il Chancrrv - news
In 1901 there was but one uaifIcl
Nirginla-aTd since that time ,ha ~
been divided into several dit 'alt a,
Chancellor appointed In each ~ mi
TONED several cases in which H.. ''e mes
of the common law Judges hal aTda,
ded, aud IN which the pfecrden, att.
set of one Judge exercising autl "'a be-
You'd his district ''''ortiy lie
On the ground Of policy he o..
that according To the consii,u,;,.,." fods3
country, the judges had fresb '' NJ ia.
in their offices. This was given ',u e''s
them independent. II entc,rJ " ms.
contract between them and IN, INTO INTO tn
they were appointed. The ny.s" ,'.t, "5g
ceior OF tho stanton district had ,S Saa
he said, for the last % years, win "o ooa
dnstry aud ability in his Office. nbi. az
given him an elevated standing ann nm 55.
judges of the state i; and he thous i, y. TIE
impolitlc and unjust 10 expect ,ha, oaiI
overtaken by age aud infrmity. Il, VIM
he expected to resian his oibce s,,raat
was no power in existence which no.. i'tie
petent to deprive him Of it wilb@at,'". com
consent. u' da
The question was then taken and II. p,
rejected. we oil
On Mr. Massie's motion, the e,,.o..
bill " authorising the establi,bm.s,' ,ti
Western Lnnatic Hospital" was isp.
and sundry blanks therein filled. @'' 'p
Mr.. Massie explained, a, som. L.,
the necessity of an additional Hospa,I
the clrt umstancts connected with ,L'"1
stitntion at Williamsburg, p,oyiny u
tirely inadequate TO the wants of tbr WIZ.
state. In 1898, the sum of S575 was " .'3,
out of the treasury for the ,ranspo,, l rau
alone, Of Lunatics, who could not be- , r.ao
we'd at W 'll'amsbnrs. In 1921 the sum o,
St4G0 WAS paid for the same p,rnn'
TINS, h. said, was the interest Of more Il,
$4,000, SUR sufficient IL build and On
dow an additional institution. Mr.. NJ ga.
an account of the recent success in ns
treatment Of luna.ics, and drew "A f,r,aL.
and affecting picture Of the dreadful eEr,.
of madness.
Mr.. Smith Of Greenhrier also .appur,ot
the bill! and it passed
Mr.. Mason of s. called up the bin rps,a
Ing to the executive the pnwer Of parJa,
ing.
The passage ofthis bill was supported, =,
some lengtli by Messrs. Mason, BIigs..at
Randolph Of Alb. aud opposed by Nj CD
sion.
II was contended that the power of IA,
don ought to exist in every goyprnm,1.
that by the cnnstitution it was yrst,o inn.
| hands of the Executive orin the n nfDI
gates, that the fora .er was the most nr,ra,
dtPos''ory"tit, hecause they had mofelna
20 enquire into the circumstance. and ,,.
constantly at hand TO act as the emrrppnev
OF the occasion might require. The qy9.
| Renee of the past year, il was said Ind
proved. that the convicts in the Penitro
tiary, finding themselves cut off from II
hope OF mercy, had become desperate ard
there was now noinduct ment anonu them
10 disclose whatever schemes OF r.helion
and escape might exist among them
Heretofore these things were sure Ia coma
10 llght before any serious mischief could
be done, because the ipformrr was sure "a
receive the mercy Of the executive. Al
present this inducemrnt, and indeed the
inducemcm to all good conduct among tIe
PrlSon vas cut off. If the pontr IA
manned IN the hands Of the House, The IA
Bile at the next and all Subsequent sesyio,
| would be crowded with Applications lr
pardon And il was asked, if the Ho0p
was as well qualified to investigate these
cases as the executive ? IL the txrcntne
had, IN the course of more than 20 yer
dispensed their mercy 10 half dozen IN
worthy individuals, WAS not this more than
countrrbalanced by the good which had
resulted IL the institution from odrips
exercise of their power Aud was aa
better that some guilty indi, id,ials skoAh
escape, than that one innocent naO:s5og1
be punished unjnslly ?
In opposition 10 the bill, Mr.. Cobtas
contendcd, that the power should moi asaia
be confided 10 The hands Of the same lols
who had heretofore so much abused A.
lie would not say that they had cnrrnpty
exercised the power c0niided 10 Them
But they had certainly pardoned umbn
OF the most outrageous offenders agan.
the laws of sucitiy. He cnun Grated
variety of individual eases, in y hich ilcy
had most improperly exercised their ce
fnency. lie WAS not disposed to takr he
power away altogether but hr would DE-
me The manner in " hich il should be ex
crclscd, 50 rs 10 prevent its abuse he
would require them to procure the ed
dence and circumstances of each case, and
make public The names Of tie petitioners,
and the grounds on which they inlrr(tnd.
bill containing such saIulary guarL5 as
these he would support.
| He also pbIprf.I N CT farms npalngi
practice among the lawyers in The Conr.
| cii OF appearing az counsel for prisoners IN
the Courts. Some of the council, he III
! derst"od, acted in this maunfr Were
such as did SO, Ae asked, prepared to act
'mpar'm'ly aud without prejudice, in 'olls
on the question of pardoning a con'ls
whom they had been pnid for defending N
the courts If they did not vote on sun
occasions, their representations could o''
fail to influence the minds of their col