The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-05-29

and geseral appearance, l believed them 10 be tho
same description of persons who were near the
Governors house on the Friday night preceding;
they were perfectly quiet, and dispersed between
10 and IL O'Clock; the police were there, but had
no occasion to interfere with them.
In connection with the affair is the ordering out of
the volunteers on the night of the second meeting
and think it due to myself to state by whose a1.
thoriIy 1t was done On the morning of that day.
whils busily engaged in trying warrants, l was
called upon by the Adjutant General who stated to
me that he apprehendeda repetition of the scene
of Friday night having heard that threats were
made, sc. / informed him that the whole police
force would be in attendance, that had requested
The sergeant of the city to attend the meeting in the
event of his services being required to summon
posse, and that had requested Col. GwInn to have
bis regiment in readiness in case their services
should be required. 1t was with mucn surprise
learned early in the night that his regiment was as
sembling at Lafayette Hall. Immediately repair.
ed thither and told the Colonel he had mistaken me,
that had no right to order out the regiment. He
replied that he did not misunderstood me, that the
order came from the Adjutant General, and showed
me the order placing the regiment under my con
troll As they had assembled, and as have before
stated, number of persons were in the street and
square near the Governors house, requested him
to detaln the men until the dispersion of the persons
alluded to. When that took place returned to the
Hall and requested the regiment to be dismissed
which was promptly done Enquiry was made of
me the next day, whether the Adjutant General had
the authority to order out the regiment supposng
that it was addressed to me as a military man,
replied in the negative. The next day it was stated
on my authority that the Governor had given the
order. did not know that he had, and never
meant to assert it. 1t turns out that he gave no
such order.
1t is due to my fellow citizens to state that from
what have heard said do not believe that one
can be found who does not regret and condemn
the insult offered to the Governor by the intem.
perae and misguided youths who perpe,rated it.
Before l close this communication | think it
proper to state that the citizens of Richmond have
telt themselves aggreved for many years past by
the course pursued by the Executive; their houses
have been burnt, burglary and larceny have been
rle among them In this respect they suffer more
than any other portion of the Commonwealth, from
the number Of slaves consregated here in facto-
Ties, &c. Gangs of burglars, after great efforts
and after the perpetration of many crimes have at
length been detected; in one an aecomplice
confessed that their plan was, to break into house.
steal the property, and then set it fire; and the
plan was carried out in several instances; the
Court has performed it, duty and condemned the
felons to suffer the penalty OF the low upon test
mony the most lrretragble, and yet they suffered
no punishment; the course has been to sell them
thus virtually epealiDg the law. They are trans.
ported 10 the Southern States and introduced
among those who have an identity Of interest with
us.
Many citizens believe that this course has been
pursued to save the State the value of the slave
II they right in this supposition, and the policy
is to be persevered in, it would be better to
pass law making the loss fall upon the master
who is so unfortunate as to own felon then
some of the most daring would suffer the pen
atty of their crimes; and in cases where it was
proper for the Executive clemency to be ex.
ercised, instead OF sending them South, they
might be transported North to fraternize with
kindred spirits there. These remarks of course
cannot apply to the present Chief Magistrate,
who, | do not believe, has had of the
sort before him. When this unfortunate case OF
Jordan Hatcher occurred the citizens thought it
time to assemble and express their disapprooation.
Their right peaceaby to do so, no freeman will
question.
With the Council l rejoice that the assemblage
was dispersed without any act of violence to the
person OF any one and without it being found ne
cessary to call in the aid OF the military. Had
their aid been required, the lives of many eminent
citizens. and among them some OF the most con
spicuous members of the Legislature, might have
been put to hazard and thus, in the effort TO pun.
ish the guilty, innocent and valuable lives might
have been lost, as usually happens In such cases.
Very respectfully,
WIN. LAMBERT,
Mayor of the City of Richmond.
To the Committee of Police.