Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-07-02
NUMBER IG.


!, iavat:on existing The lime the offence COMMITTED
nshralInn for lhn. pirnce ana nr vauntngy
!, ,nrs !7at any other construction be Sir sub.
emit mat the Governor meant n" such thing and n'rnccd
such purpose; and his canroI by the
rced CONSTRUCTION, be made 10 any such Idea And
think an examination Of lie law under which The Cover
acted in commuing the punishment OF Hatcher will
sclary show why this position tnken In tie message
md what purpose by the Governor Ia suserye
The 4 section OF chapter 200 the Code utter or acting
:'a; glaze commit III nc", r the commission J
which Tree nfgro al the time Of committing the same is
punishable with death or by Confinement in tho pen4enay
or n rss than three years, he shall be PUNISHED "nh
.ah" f;thcr adds "Bn unless il be of nee which
tree waite person If be had committed il, might have
punished with DEATH such slave Instead OF being punished
Sh DEATH may the discretion CT the n pGnis.!ei
sale and nns po!;aun herOEd the limits tie United
states" And rr constitution md laws confer apo lie
the rgh d. what the Court might have done
ombuG4 the punishment OF slave SENT need 10 destE
sale and transportation, subject TO The iestlct"Es
aimed in The section Of The Code Just quoe Ihtn
. epquiiy whether The otnce in ms instance
such ruah have h,en punished h dcarn"
II il hId been cUIni IS free white II II wGs
the iii rish. nirtpos hi clcmcEcy
Ii il then his 'rirh: Ia interfere VAS clear and uG
Then he wtue meuning Of rhs passage and
;uicad hr whole argument Ut that part o the
clay il, but discussion this enquiry, and
%! the opinion 81 The Governor. that Il tic a."
ence for which Hatcher convicted had been
mrd by tree white il could not have been nnisied
death ana qrcn;!y, II was case IN "tch Tie
Governor had The right 10 Interfere An! The trc"fh'on
unedlc!y following The section quoted that ms rg 10
clear and luesunahlc, ucts sni driher
Icav 10 establish all The preceding arguments used by
Inr in hs not 10 slow nll y Was
|ns dhty interfere because il II had been wt!c man,
ihe brcn pun-hc! with death, but :" prove
undcr The constitution and laws lie : The rtst :" IN
cDusc his executive power n comoutnnn ot the punish.
nen And in coming is conclus,u il c.liima'c
draw lw DISTINCTION bCw ~ the
ir., dryrcc ana Iuz bic homicide Involuntary
rutr in rlc,r establish h position tho III rce,
or ,v,ch Hatcher convicted h;t beer committed by
rec rc ian he woni ~" h,v" nren punished "! tea'h
and consequently the -sh Of The Governor 10 nciiet" vas
.cI,Ir and ununts l,lr " and wEu Will GUcsCn the
correctness OF This concuaiJr come 10 by the Governor =
imagine that will, and VII! MI deain the House
~ demonstrating II.
Sir the Governor intended nothing else thar what
have indie .c by this argument. Hc did not ntcn! oqnes
destroy the extraordinary yc! necessary distinctions
made by law between Tie punishment {" the free whn man
,nd the slave for the commission OF Offences: Ii" aid not
intend in the least break down ho, wise safeguards
around slave property and the slave owner by our
uws which well calculated 10 preserve subrcinatnn
md quic, in slave holding c"mlnnEieS. He merely
ntend establish his right 10 interfere ami then Ia place
IN. reason of interpretation upon the high ground OF ner-
.y and humanity The Governor may have erred ia hit
act If executive crmcncy; and do ne" wish 10 be consider
as d..ending the for IT, contained IN is
first ,esacr; only refer 10 il In order 10 correct on er-
which many have fallen 10 The construction OF pof
lions Yl TINT message which has led many 10 charge the
Governor and the whole Northwest with desire To disturb
the security Of slave property or with intentions TO cncoac6
upon that institution
Sir ihr Governor in his second message ayoing himself
ii the i.nt which belongs I, every Of placing
,ucun upon his O,rn language expressly "a lie did
not first intend To convey the Idea that hc
eat position tho white citizen and the slave Ia the
avs of the country tc same or that the txcc!se by
agent power o u
"cn BY the law furnishes any eAcusabo or unsuitable es
on Tor resistance, exhibition ot resentment upon s
slave and that he did not intend I" question The
wise discrimination made b. laws between the punish
uen of white slaves for similar offences thus cn
ha,icay repudatng the construction placed anon his first
bv is gentleman from Albcmne and luy tInGi-
a,;nr hin. f from he susic!an Of attempting 10 'rsroy
hose wide distinctions created by our laws between me
ai The slave and hoped ni'er lis reception 'Ht
his subject would have been permitted ~ fcst and lie
tpitann cease That message was received win evil
,en satisfaction by this House and The country Wisc
;of all sections concaicd and II seemed 10 afford
il ground and platform upon which 81 could Tny
md N lime their opinion upon the e1e
.dency neNpedency J this exercise OF executive rcm'
ncy encroachng the Conscience o the Gov
nor He has second with Irankucss and
sincerity amounting maenan!nity explained the pnsohs
Iii his first, removed oil doubt its meaning and in
Ter 10 vindcac himself from desire suiify the law has
aimed. that il his views AZ contained in his l's message
p.rspicuous and pa:n arose rot from DE- sire
pervcrt the law, but rather fran want "i familiarity
lin its t,cinicus And 90 fully end satisfactorily has
nc dune this that The gentleman from A!bema' with
All his nrtuuus ingenuity and SKILL as GrbaIe mas 10 ms
nendy commentary upon the message OF the Governor
und but the position assumed IN lhose
messages and that objection have attempted unSurcess'
uly il may be- answer, whilst the genteman from Anne
ia Mr. Bat,un moved these resoutlons acknowledges
thai every legal objection which he had 10 the first
as been removed planned by the Governor IN hs
ond message aud he only urges the adoption Of these
ions because Of the passage in the st message tnst
inc peEay Of death under the circumstances ot THIS case
yus apnns the spirit OF the and contrary 10 mercy an
humanity" As all legal objections then TO the Govrnofs
,osons removed what practical good can result from
ne adoption of resolutions Opinions as To the Pr'
Of the age and Of mercy and humanity are aSo U! ee
M and of conscience, and not Oi law
this General Assembly then court OF con,cirnc" WIN
over to arragn executive and quarrel with m about
matters for which he s responsible only to ms
God? Sir the passage OF these resolutions, which are only
caratory can have binding effect upon the executive in
nj, exercise Of the power Of committing punishnn
runting pardon Nor they effect the Interpretation by
our courts of the laws for the punishment OF slaves
Those we'll known. and the popety or correct
ness of The aJuica,ons made them by the courts arc
unquesoned aud cannot be changed or eiece; by ihe
passage Of these resoilons lhy oeng itrw I
hc Assembly, by which only can the laws "i Fei
be altered repsaed or construct 'hsy "oa MOI %
cqar.d bv our courts tho adj Idcson OF Causes "hat
rood then can result from their adoption Would Iey NOT
be regarded ccnsure upon the executive nei'hrI
binding his controlling the decisions o' our
! courts If Justice. .,,,,
hope therefore that this whole subject wI! 90 rcerrel
10 the Committee OF Courts OF Justice, IN order 'nt "'o
,ron,siIjon having view som" paclictl ana ma.
crj, measure for better protection p the lives anG pro-
cv OF sla, etpIcrs be proposed by that co't'er.
nj repeat aRaln that and my associates ,ne
Wes; will 20 you in the enactment OF any l"s YOU
NAV desire 10 effect Object But wa ore not ""h2 20
charged with sboIi,onisn merely o..an1t We M, 49, o no
acajns, these abstac';ons when wc az" eat's" a no
,roctical good VIII cr produced br ,t'r "d"p'"a. ;,
Mr. Snr,ker the aen,nan from Abrma'ln seems 10 h"'o
the whole Northwest responsible for 'he opui"ns ani zen
ments inferred IN discussion upon this oos BY The Z, cutie
man from Harrison (M. LEws and hh construed re-
mark OF that gentleman into threat he'a oy 'e ~
West in trror this house, thar in the event % NC
p.s sage OF rrsOu'ions We VA! con:nnce sys"
apye. .sors upon The interests ot ne 9ttt" ah"
SIZE d Euv
n sn.,k for no one else upon !is t)or ye 90 mere - e
representative oi free and independent ua
clum ernphaiicaIy the right OF any man u - ,si I :, -,
an, ak for me on any subject and claim :" DC my
80 49, so,,io,nt. yu:e-ed or given upon iis f"o'
and NOR. particularly sir il the fsmlrhr o. '
ram Ha,r son can be construed ~ ." "ic 90 NO, o1-
c,rinra,sn hostility TO tht sld'e.riihs Interest
n IN. STAT. dcIai:n any Pnch ieate shp o c' ha'h"
4py surh f., lnss n.nll"ns or: WIZ esats ~ IN; ~;
such con est will do battle in no such wsntc. VIII
ever by my votes acts ana sentiments upon H:s nor az
sawhcro seek 10 preserve the integrity o. hc ;s'nuu,
slavery and In doing so, will be bn cfec'Ius us w."
H md wishes of my constituents, than wn0m ih'. p~ ~
,ry peole do not exist in the broad limits "i me e
ypalth md by whom aboi'ionism and its ai''aIs o.,
,osed uroa with as much vathng ana e1oc'il' a. " "
ar Them III any o,her section Of the Siate.
We su.cec,ed that the Petersburg lnie!gcncer vas nUc
liornn,cd al The result in Baltimore, but "o o'o h''
rom, ,b, I, could DO made rabd-even more 30 ah o5
be Virginia Washington Monumsnt-oy our smP'o anu
e,u,o of II, own urmcr positions. Tnat paper can
80 f.i,y COMPLAIN Of republication Of lis own editorials,
o,nv Of which placed record for the very purpose o.
ho;oy 70 The people OF Virginia how the Wing candidate,
ose nomnqon anticipated and desired 'Sa' regarded
leading Wing paper In the vicinity Of Gen SCOTS na'