Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-04-08
VIRGINIA AND NEW YORK.


i gou upon the Governor Of this Common
sweaIih, for the surrender Of Robert Il
Curry, charged with the crime of forgery
In The State Of New York.
The deman3 is in proper form, aud Ii,
fact that be IS charged With the comma
Sion Of an act, which is a crime bg tn,
laws Of your State i duly authenticated.
Recognizing, as | DO, he imperative ah
igattnn Of the Constitution an laws
" HEB require The Governor of every Stat,
Ito surrender n fugitive from justice, upot
the demand Of the Governor Of that Stat.
'in whIch lie is charged WIKI the crime,
shall not hesitate TO comply with your de-
|mand.
You are accordingly hereby informed
that | have issaed my warrant as acting
Governor Of this Commonwealth, com
handing the delivery of said fugitive IL
John D. Dix, the agen, appointed by you
10 receive and convey him to.the State oil
New York. Mr.. Dix having left here on
bis return TO New York, | enclose the
Warrant to you and will forward copy
ar duplicate oft TO the proper authorities
in Wheeling, where it is understood Cur.
Try IS in custody.
The circumstances which have occurred
in connection with this demand, make i,
proper, that in complying with ii, should
avail myself Of the occasion to express 10
your Exellency the profound regret Of
this Department for the course which the
Government Of New York has pursued in
to similar demand made by the
Executive tins State upon the Govern
or OF New York as long ago MS the 25lh
OF July, 1899, and which yet remains UNI
satisfied.
l. is not my purpose or desire to renew
a discussion, (Which, indeed, has been al
ready exhausted) upon that subject.
cannot, however, refrain from reminding
you Of this unsatisfied requstlor, or from
expressing TO you what is the universal
sentiment of the people and Government
of this Commonwealth that the refusal
81 New York to surrender the fugitiyes
charged with the commission Of heinous
crime against the laws Of this State, is a
grevous and intolerable outrage upon her
rights, aud plain violation Of the duty
imposed upon the State of New York, BY
the Constitution and laws Of the United
States.
This refusal to surrender fugitives from
justice, upon the grounds on which it has
been indicated by your Excelency, and
followed as it has been by an act Of the
General Assembly Of New York, which
seems to have been sedulously contrived to
render it next to impossible to recapture a
fugitive slave who shall escape to New
York involves an assault upon an institu.
ton of the Southern States deeply inter-
woven with their whole polity. anu TO any
foreign interference with which they are
keenly sensitive. 1t is not the less ag-
gravating, that the assault is made by d,
rectly violating or rendering nugatory two
of the planest and most explicit provisions
fthe Constitution Of the United States.
In this state of things, it is scarcely to
be wondered at, that some of our citizens.
eminent in virtue and patriotism, should
be inclined to regard New York as hav-
ing placed herself out of the pale OF The
Union, and forfeited all right to have any
claim made by her under the authority OF
the Constitution Of the Union respected
and complied with, while site retains her
present attitude of hostility to its obiga-
tons. While, however, course of re.
towards New Iork might be JUS
tilted, so far as she is concerned, by her
and perseveriDg disregard of her
obligations, it is not deemed becoming the
high character which il has been the de.
sire of this State to deserve for good faith,
respect for the Constitution, and devotion
TO the Union, to retort even upon her an
duty. She has refused TO comply with
the Constitution Virginia will scrupu-
lousy obey it. She has wantonly assail-
ed our property by acts Of legislation, en-
dangering its safety and impairing It's
value: Virginia will again appeal TO her
justice, and entreatlng her TO relrace her
steps, in the mean time resort only to law
lul and constitutional means of sell-protec
ton and redress. She has refused and
still refuses to surrender criminals who
have fled from our justice, and is pursuing
a course calculated to make the Empire
State. an asylum for felons and runaway
slaves: Virginia still respects and relies
upon the Constitution and the Laws, and
will surrender lugitives from Justice and
iugltiyes from labor when lawfully de
| trust, Sir, that you will see in this
that we are ready TO perform our duties,
rather than quick to retallaie injuries, and
that you will find in it an example Of for.
bearance and proof of an anxious desire
to preserve harmony, and a sedulous re-
gard for justice and good faith which will
not be without benefit IN inducing you and
your great State TO retract those assaults
upon our institutions, of which the State of
Virginia so Justly complains.
The motives and principles on which
your demand is now Internationally com
piled with by the Executive of this State
lin conformity, as am happy to believe,
with the almost unanimous concurrence
of the Legislature ought to be regarded,
as | hope it will be, as giving an earnest
that as this State recognises in all theil
extent, and will perform faithfully and
scrupulously all her duties and obligations
under the Constitution of the Union, she
expects and will insist upon every other
State exhibiting an equal fidelity to its