The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-05-21

THURSDAY, May 20.
senate.

senate.
The Senate was engaged to-day in consI-
dering the bill providing compensation TO the
public officers of the Commonwealth, including
Judges, and Members Of the Leg islature, ttheir
mileage, &c.) As the bill has TO 60 before
the House, where il will, no doubt, undergo
changes, we deem il unnecessary TO give the
various salaries fixed for The various offices
by the Senate.
The bills passed IN the senate, to-day, were
not of q enernl interest.
House of Delegates.
bill was reported Incorporating the Poto'
mac Copper Manufacturing Company, in the
county of Loudoun-and
A bill Incorporating the South Branch RAIL
road Company.
A Joint resolution was introduced to procure
from The public archives in England, copies OF
documents relating TO the early history OF VT-
ginia.
MIR. Seear introduced a resolution, pledge
ing the House TO consider no internal IIp-
movement bills before the extra session IN NO
vember. except the bill increasing the capital
stock of the Manassas Gap Railroad.
After discussion, u motion TO lay the resolu-
,ion on the table 6iled-ayes SO, noes 90.
An amendment was adopted "exceptng
bills TO which there may be no objection" and
another amendment, excepting provision for
The payment of interest on the debt of the
James River g. Kanawha Company.
The resolution was then adopted-ayes Is,
noes 43.
The following House bills were passed to
cay:
Authorizing the Northwestern Virginia Rail
Road Company TO construct branch thereof
from Clarksburg to Weston;
To incorporate the Wiggan Mining and
Manufacturing Company
To amend the act incorporating the city OF
Wheeling, in Ohio county and
a Senate bill, Incorporating the Manassas
Gap Turnpike Company.
A large number of bills, on their second
reading, were acted upon.
The following communication was received
from the Governor, and presented to the House
by the Speaker:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
May 10, 1852.
To the General Assembly of Virginia:
In the discharge of my constitutional duty
had the honor to communicate to your body,
on the lth inst, the reasons for the commu;a'
ton of the sentence of the slave Jordan Hatch.
er. | learn that the terms in which those rea
sons were expressed have been misconstrued
and nv views upon the delicate relations ex
listing between master and slave misappre'
hended. Upon this grave SUBJECT, l canno
permit doubt 10 be felt of the views OF the
Executive.
| never entertained the opinion, nor did
intend 10 intimate, that the slave would, unde
any circumstances, be excused or justified il
resisting the legal authority of his MASTER
The right the master or his agent to punish
his slave, whenever, in his opinion, he deserves
il, is legal right-results from the nature Of
| the property ITSELF and is necessary for whole
some discipline and restraint. 1t is founded
on the soundest principles OF public policy
and our Courts have held that the owner of 6
slave cannot be indicted for the cruel or exces
sive whipping OF his own slave. If the maste
abuses this high power so far as TO comm
| crime, he is responsible to the laws of tht
land alone. The slave has no rights advers,
to those of the master or agent TO whom HI
has delegated his authority.
With these views, long entertained, it is al
most unnecessary to say that, in my late mes
sage. | did not intend to convey the idea tina
| the relative positions Of the white citiZensanC
| the slave 10 the laws of the country were tht
same, or that the exercise by the master Or hi:
agent of the ample power of chastisemen
given by the law, furnishes an excusable O
Justhable reason for resistance Or an exhibi
ton of resentment upon the part ofthe slave.
Our laws, wisely discriminate between III,
punishment of whfe men and slaves for simi
lar offences, and in nay interposition in behal
of the slave Jordan Hatcher, did not intent
to express the conviction of my mind that
slave should not suffer death for offences be
low The grade OF murder in many instance
it is proper i'll the execution OF the law. Upol
an examination OF the record of Jordan Hatch
er's trial and conviction. came TO the concIu
sion that it presented case for the inteffer
ence Ofthe Executive, and committed the pun
| lshment 10 the only substitute for the deal
penalty provided by law. In stating my rea
sons, if | have failed TO do so in clear and dis
tinct terms, it has resulted rather from wan
OF familiarity with the technicaiitieS of the Law
than from any disposition to inisinterpret them
| have the honor 10 be,
Very respectfully,
JOS. JOHNSON.
On motion OF Mr. Buckner, the House thel
| obi