Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-08-13

Unprecedented and alarming. Indeed, community
may we'll fear for the future responsibility and efcacy
OF The County Court system, when not only are their
decisions in criminal causes esteemed by the Executive
as OF no authority, bot the combined powers OF all The
magisiiacy in the Conmonw. ain are de taeto merged
INTO nne grand Aulocracy al Richmond
within less Than IL months, The courts Of Spotsylva
MA county acting in just accordance with The laws Of
Inc common wenh aud pursuing course rendered in
disPsnsahe by the unusual disorder Of The community
have condemned 10 be hung for lsnraht pralIons
"f Inc peace nf snciriy nnt less than slaves nu5er
not fxceedrd believe by The whole list of convictions
IN our peaceful county, Tor the space OF many years
peV"nsly-fet. strange as It may SEEM not one OF these
slaves has thr fate which The law and he evidence
most plainly DECLARED /" be due 10 the aggravaed cha
ractrr OF his So1r Excpirncy. ltht through
misrepresentation Of tie circumstances n the'r resprc
i've concentrations, ithnmgh, with The evidence in each
case before ynn this could M. we'll be wlrlher, yield
ig 10" readily 10 The promp!lngs "f eyoent heart
or actGaed By other less nbsnus mOtIsps kanwn o6y
70 your own bnscul has, in every instance. either par
cohf0 Inc criminal What usually equivalent with
slaves 10 full aud free pardnn COMMITTED hs punish
thent 10 transportation ana Hnat is s!ill more stngu
lar. have been cedihly informed that n nrly of
their decisions. the Court could c0uScicntOuSiy
szend The criminal 10 Eseeuire mercya course seldom
neglected, when the safety of the community, end The
s2RciIy OF the laws, will pern lis observance. They
were deeply Impressed with The UNPLEASANT convection,
tHat no punishment snsnt than death could sails
~ Tue calls Of injured justice. Yet, while we find them
guardians OF Society, the Govcrnor and Priyy Council
hy The indiscrlmnnie pardon of every criminal have
destroyed the efficacy OF their ahos and by the
Pto'ne O" IMMUNITY held cut inducements 10 the ieps.
nn al crime The notorious thief the foul ncendIary
and the bInod.s'aned murderer have all been cnndrn-
ed tn pay Ia society the forfeit for lhrIr crns, but in
each instance has The gbbet, by Executive interference,
been deprived Of its Que y speak with great respect
for your Excesncy, and oil due difference Opt
mon But, such has been he Influence Of these pro-
cfedIngs upon our community, as will readily excuse
this hurried notice of il. The. neysbe consequence
has been 10 destroy confidence in The dee snns OF the
Court. and even IL render them a subject Of rlaIcue
with that class towards whoa this cenrn
cy OF line Executive has beea uniformly ese,ed. AL
liz July term of Spots lvanta CoG+t slave YVES
drmned 10 suffer on the gallows Tor oteiap 10
der, dIaboca in lis character, and established by
such conclusive and unqnesti"nntr testimony, that the
Court not requested tS his COUNSEL recan.
mend him 10 mercy; and, il requested. wnud. 'or
considerations. have granted the recommendation. Yet,
after death had been pronounced md the
awaiting the period Tor his eSr cnnn, slaves were
heard b0asiipgiy and ccn'emPuc1sy To nsr Tag'yJ Mat
he c'ud not tshu0g As they had lastly inferred from
the previous Of the Executive the proper officer
few days subss qarny received instructions to repripve
The criminal. Whether The ENDS o Justice VIII again
be- defeated ty HE commission nf So heinons crime
with enllre nipuny, and thu m1gisacy OF our country
again be usud b. causeirss OF thsir uGg
ment. are questions still 10 be resolved But thr peace
and safely of The community require that this alarming
precedent oi the Executive br length cancrpd Re
voting II be 10 the nohIe and kIndrr ie-lngs,
thus 10 crave more rigid enforcement nf The criminal
code yet II is humby conceived 10 be necessary D.s
your E1cellency drght IN wrestling lsilow from
fate sn ignomnl,us as denih a gaiInws: However
communicable this feeling in the abstract. lis practical
application Is mani'esiiy runnus. rs going wholly TO
suhvpr The criminal code Your Exec Iency should re-
member that while you derive pleasure from The
else Of this active benz Violence ynu are snwing among
US The dragon seeds Of contention and crime In rhs
language Of our BIZ Of Rights. "Ihp Executive powers
OF the SIar should be- separate and distinct # ihI Ju-
d;ciafy and an authority granted on Tor The common
welfare. and 10 be exercised only when very peculiar
circumstances render deviation from the ordinary pro
visions of The law entirely consistent with that welfare
should not be perverted 10 render the p,Lshsrnt
OF criminal. thus holly Geps ndpnt npnn the will of
single individual Tint these peculiar circumstances
attended the To which have alluded, "nr. hsv
ing any knowledge of them will assert. Y"ur Excel
ency, presiding you the welfare Of the hole
Common wealth, should reflect. ha, in ceraia ev,nrs
and Ia certain degree the virtues OF the private man
ale not lie virtues VI the magistrate
a SPOrTsYLVANlAN
August 9h 1889.
u I'VE know nothing nj all Of the transactions,
wh!ch are alluded 10 by our Correspondent Editor.
MR. Stevenson
few weeks ago, ! called public attention TO this
gentlemen, and recommended him as rminpnry enti-
tied 10 The support Of The Republican parry fol The office
OF Vice rresiden, of The u. S. The nomination was
,a,on with, prompting by, The Editor of the Enq
rPr, or any other person Wharvsr The Courteous Et
tors Of the WhIg conclmdrd- ioHh R,!r accasnmti
cacitg that The nonina nn was made nv Mr. Richie
The latl'r had hing d. with and il he had
none but political Sigot purity back, could suppose
Mr. Stevenson caras 10 he diminished by euy cifcum
stance Of that kind
was not weak enough 10 imagine tia, the nnnina-
tcn Of hr. Stevenson would te CRAFTY ing Ia his Wig
opponents They ia.ly sensible ut his ahiI;irs bis
integrity and entire fitness Tor the office of Vice presi
dent They sensible that his political repalstinn
is no, circunscTbeh ~ The boundaries Of Virginia bu,
is cn.exi.nsive with our great and growing Cnedera
cy-They know that this reputation is the just reward
nf his attachment to the Consulion-hs unwavering
fidelity 10 Republican principles and The eGr'age and
talent with which he has sustained them through
long and even,lul public life They know also, that
this reputation cnnnnt be shaken BY The caumny and
deraction of vulgar minds that IL is deeply rooted and
rapidly expanding in The CONFIDENCE and gratitude the
intelligence and patriotism OF oar country The tools
Of faction and federalism have assar; han in van.-
Despite The progressed contempt and the OF his pn
ltical fees their hearts Involuntary acknowrge, that
Andrew StrvrDsoa reflects hcnor upon tir Old Dnm.
Mon and that pstol and statesman hP is destined
to still higher distinction in the Unipn They would
acknowledge his abilities, his services, his worth, did
they possess sufficient cando and magnanimily TO do
Justice political opponent.
shall not attempt any eulory CT vi, Stevenson, and
fortunately ha does need II al thr hands OF any
should be erailied 10 see him ereea 10 the Vice Pre-
sdency, because consider him pre- eminently qualified
Tor that office and every way worthy of the distinction
conferred by the station [ repeat. tina, in The present
juncfrre IF political of1s, ers is otrOus pro
,rty sssstiag him as Me candidate Jor Tie ptce Pre-
stdcncy As al present advised. the Republicans will
support Mr. Van Buren, for second term. The mural
and electoral power Of New York are both great
The electoral power Of Virginia is not So great,
but her moral Influence. perhaps, greater Nh Van
Buren, and MIR. Stevenson would surely receive the
yole of both thrss States These two would
cnnclaip hnrmonise and strengthen The Republican
party 10 the North AVID TO the South The Republicans
would hail the cleo ion of Messs Van Buren, and ST.
venson as additional guarantee Ct The manenance of
tue principles. the preservation OF tranquility ard thu
ne priual,nn If free government With hpse candidates
The Republican pnry would succeed, The purses md
mower OF The " hg, and the of few Cnnserva
lives TO line contrary notwithstanding. Clay and Harr-