Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-03-03
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
TERTIARY. 90.

VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
FEBRUARY, &c,
Yesterday on motion of Mr.. White, a bill eau
thorisins loan for the purposes OF Internal
Improvement" was taken up, discussed, amend
ed by the House, and ordered to be engrossed.
Mr. Blackburn laid the following on the ia.
BILE, which, Of course lies one day:
UAereas, it appears that gentleman from
Charles City, RoBERr DoUTHAI, Esq at the last
spring election, was elected and returned TO this
House as one of the representatives from said
county, in violation as it is believed of both the
spirit and letter Of the law, in that case made
and provided, passed the - day of = 1870
entitled san act to suppress duelling." And
aUhereas it also appears to this House by a reso-
luton passed on the 18th day of December, dur
ing the present session, it became the duty Of
the Committee of Privileges and Elections to
examine as well the oathS taken by each men,
Der, as the certificates of election furnished by
| the sheriff, in order 10 ascertain whether each
member has taken the oaths prescribed by law,
and the time and manner in which they were
taken, and make report thereon TO the House
| And, ,uhereas, it also appears that if the oaths
required by law have been administered in this
case, hey have not been administered in the
usual manner, but with some Limitations, expa-
nations or mental reservations, not sanctioned
by any thing in the spirit or letter Of the oaths
| themselves, or in the law prescribing them.
Resoived, therefore, That this House cannot re-
cognise the power of any man or set of men in
this commonwealth, to limit, dispense with, mo-
| dify or otherwise explain away the oaths by
them or any of them severally administered &C
cording 10 law.
Resolved, also, That the oath taken by Robert
Doutha, as explained and qualified by him, is
not the oath of office prescribed by the Sd Sec
ton of the act to suppress duelling, and after
wards transmitted and incorporated into the Sd
section Of an act, reducing into one the several
acts prescribing The oath of fidelity and the
oaths of public officers. passed the 9TH Of Janu-
AIRY, 1918, whatever may have been his honest
convictions as 10 the repeal Of that law.
Resolved, also, Tha, the act 10 suppress duel
ling has never been repealed by the General AS
sembly of Virginia; neither have any Of It's
clauses, provisions or penalties, been repealed,
suspended, abolished or amended by the Gene
raj Assembly ofVirgina, who alone have power
so to do.
Richmond, February 2S-It becomes our du-
ty to notice horrible catastrophe, which took
place in this City yesterday. We shall touch
il as briefly as we CAM for the case is now in
the hands of Justice. James Mcknight, Gun
smith Of this city, and an admirable one he
was,) has been committed to jai! on the charge
Of shooting Daniel Denoon, his foreman 1t is
said, that they dined together yesterday, in the
upper room Of McNaught's house; the appren.
tees in the shop then dined; and Men. who
had retired alone into another room, contigu-
Gus to the dining room, sent for Daniel Denoon
| (his ioreman,) and as soon as he had entered
the room, it Is said that Men shot him in the
abdomen with pistol; and it is also said that
Men. discharged another pistol, which gra-
zed his own cheek, and drew blood When
the persons, alarmed by the discharge of the
pistols, entered the room; they were both found
| lying on the floor; the unfortunate Drnoon
MORALLY wounded, and Men. not seriously
hurt. Denoon fingered for several hours, and
died, last evening about O'Clock: before his
dissolution, he was in the most excruciating
agony, but gave, as il is said, a statement like
the above We understand, Mcknight de-
scribes it 10 have been duel between them, in
which he was wounded and d fell-YOung
! Dcnoon was raised as All apprentice by Men;
he was an accomplished workman, and was "a
boutto set up in business for himself Differ
ent motives are assigned for the act; this a.
mong others; that Men was averse to having
so skilful competitor in the same line of bu-
siness with himself. The impulse is as extra
ordinary, as the act attributed to Men. is de.
plorable. We state all these rumours with the
greatest reserve. A court of Justice is the best
place for sitting the circumslances.-McN
is entitled to fair examination and fair trial.
We wish him to have it.
We most deeply regret the death of Daniel
Denoon, very promising young NAH, the
hope and the stay Of disc onsolate mother
Coroners' inquest has been held over the
body of the deceased; che jury we're unan-
mously Of opinion that his death was caused
by the firing ola gun or pistol, loaded with
bullets or buck shot BY the hands of James
McNaught.
| LIBERALITY.
| 1t will be recolected that Mr.. Jacob Wolf
gang, of Pa. was the fortunate owner ola fourth