Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-04-07

a noble example for every county in The Stale
| an example OF union, energy and harmony
every hing for the cause and nothing for men
We call upon The people to take The matter inc
their own hands They can elect any one whom
! ttey please and can keep their principles Away:
triumphant flhey divide their votes 10 suit The
views Of individual aspirants, they may well sur.
render all hopes Of seeing their principles sustain
ed and perpeluated.
! ACQu!TTAL OF THOMAS R1TCHlE, ia
! From motives which will surely be appreciated
! bv every liberal mind, We have said bu, liule in
I regard TO the circumstances connected with ,he
I unfortunate occurrence Of the 25ih February
All that we have done, has been 10 repu5lish from
The press Of his city and the Washington Union
I notices OF The death of Mr.. john Hampden Plea.
SANS, accompanied by an expression OF on. own
! deep regret al a result brought about BY what oul
Junior partner let himself forced 10 do in The pre-
misses. Al the same time we stated that, while
he had left the excited scene OF action, with Pur-
pose which no one OF proper feelings could mis-
conslrue, we felt perfectly assured that al The pro-
per Time, he would return 10 meet The Invesl'ga-
| ton which the laws If lhc land would require
5! In addition 10 the above we repubiished without
comment from joulna in this city The solemn
protest Of L. r., JI., against combat which re.
suited so fatally. Al subsequent day, we an
nounced The simple fact, that he had returned and
surrendered himself 10 The legal authorities, who
were to decide upon his guilt and innocence
This is all that we have done upon this
subject. Though, beyond The limits OF Viz
sinia, The press has tecmed with the grossest
misrepresentation, (somc of them, we regret
10 STATE, ostensib!y originating in this city) We
said mol one word we made not single effort, in
vindica,;on Of The truth We felt assured, thai
time would administer The proper rcmedy-thal
The truth would force ITSELF into the public mimi
and hat naked facts would wipe away Inc fal>e
impression which had been produced by iiibera
misrepresentation or by the cylravasan; dreams
0. excited macnations. Blu, aloye all, we sedu-
lousy aimed not 10 interfere in The least degree
with the pure and steady flow Of public justice
We wished 10 sec the laws Of the land, administer
ed without Tear, favor or affection" We lei!
solemn conviction, that justice would be done; that
III. motives which guided The conduct Of our ju-
nor partner would be fully developed BY The
ministers OF the law, and would be placei upon a
basis which would resist all assaults, now aud
forever We have not been disappointed. The
only object we aimed at has been fully At
tanned. The reputation OF the junior ed-
Tor Of this paper has, after long ard
~ III rinI n
! Gated By Jury Of the counlry-aDd we feel that
we are warranted By ruth when we say, that
this decision will meet The cordial approval Of
every man, whatever may be the shade Of his pc
i,ica opinions, who has respect for his own =
puauon and regards the good opinion Of a viz
tuous and intelligent community. For the OPT
mons Of no Others do we care. Every individual
present al the late trial ia Chesterfield must have
been struck with The truth Of the declarations OF
Samuel TAYLOR, Esq, one OF The counsel Of /. X.
\ Jr, and whose powerful and effective oraloly
/ touched the hearts Of his hearers, when he IN
+ nounccd, in solemn tones. that he had net VIII
out one man and one woman, WHO did not ar
I prove OF The conduct Of his client. MIR. 7. b.
/ longs 10 the party opposed 10 MS in politics. No
one had better opportunity for finding out The
sentiments Of the public, and his language mnst
/ be regarded as The exponent OF the views OF all
| uprigh, and honorable men.
On The night OF the 18th March, T. r., Jr., pro.
| cecded 10 Chesterfield Court House and The next
| day surrendered himself 10 The legal authorities
| He asked for nothing but justice. To vindica'e
a ho n
submit 10 every condition which was required oil
The humblest ciiiz,n charged with the most helm.
Gus offence lie did nj ask Tor bail, but volun-
tarily entered the narrow tenement OF his prison.
house where he remained ill set free by the voice
OF an honest, impartial and intelligent jury OF his
eIlow-citizens
The day ottrial was fixed for Monday, The o0h
March. That day was consumed 10 selecting a
portion of the jury, which was completed early
The next dav. And here, we would briefly refer
10 the operation OF The new jury law, which had
lis first practical application al The present term
OF the Chesterfield Superior Court. The law re-
qures that "a competent Jurors shall be hrs Sc.
lec,ed-lhat, from this number, the accused
should have the privilege Of striking of eight
and that Of the remaining sixteen, twelve shoult
be chosen by To-. Tie law would proba
bly, work well, ii one Of its provisions were 10 t.
essentially amended. BY law only "a are 10 b
summoned the FIRST day from that part OF III,
county most remote from the scene of the offence
charged. Now, as it is next to impossible mol t
fnd some one OF lbe number who ought TO te Sc
aside for cause, ii follows that under the new Law
one day in every case will be necessarily lost. II
the case specially referred 10, IS were selected h
first day, and fortunately The remaining nine wer
without difficulty made up the next morning, from
he venire summoned from the body OF the coun
Is. Had the whole county been exhausted with
out obtaining the proper Lumber, the Law requFe
pannel 10 be summoned from The nearest coun
" or town.
From Wednesday afternoon 10 Friday after
noon, the Cour was engaged in laborious an
,boyor,L ;nn,inn NJ the testimony for III