Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-15
THE ENQUIRER AND THE GOVERNOR.

/ by Governor johnson. We have likewise taken |
critical survey of the grounds upon which that
cemency was, extended and clearly demonstrated,
! if we may be allowed to judge our own work, the
utter and entire incompatibility OF those grounds
with the continuance of negro slavery in our
State. We do not purpose to continue that
discussion at the hazard of treading in own
tracts.
| But we cannot dismiss this momentous subject, |
involving as it does the public safety in essen
tial particular, without calling attention to the
slaring fact that the Richmond Enquirer "says
never word in censure of the monstrous deed
Many things answered me
Spirits and men--bllt thou 1cert silent ALL
To have committed the righteous punishment
of that negro murderer into simple transportation,
inflalned and exaggerated that Communication is,
by the reasons given the Legislature in justif
cation of it, is au indefensible and lawless act.
We have thought that in excitement we
might have outrun the occasion and impaired to
the event deeper tirge of crimson than in sober
er eyes it migh rightfuly assume. But not SO.
We are rather in the rear of the occasion-the
indignant public are before Every cheek is
flushed and every eye kinded with indignation.
For if the white population of the State for
the future to occupy towards their slaves the new
relations proclaimed from his high place by the
Governor, we will either be driven to immediate
emancipation, or have our hearthstones to witness
such scenes as Hatcher enacted.
We are not so ungenerous and so illiberal as to
insinuate that the editor of the Enquirer approves
of the fragrant departures from law, made in the
Executive mansion. And far be it from us distant
ly to'intimate that son Of the soil, the editor
is, does not heartily condemn the dangerous prln-
cpes with which the message Is rife. But why
does not the journal utter the indignation it feels
Reader do you believe that if Wing Govern
or had acted thus, the Richmond Enquirer
would have stood mute! Do you not know that
every morning it would have poured its flaming
columns upon the culpabe officer, till it had full
mined over the State Let US tell neigh
bour that there are solemn events in the transac-
lions of men, that call upon party editors to rise
high above party. That there is higher ale
glance than that which owe to the political
combination to which we attached. Let the
Enquirer speak its censure now-for it is not yet
too late to throw its great weight in favour of main
tanning in its wholesome and legal vigor, the
thority of master over his slave. Let it not be
supposed that we mean improperly to interfere
with the conduct of that paper. But we cannot
forget the freedom with which its conductor up
braids the Wing party and its political organs for
any laches in respect to this all engrossng sub
Iceland properly upbrads them of any neg
lect they may appear at any time to have been
guilty. We do not, for moment, doubt but
that the journal in question has not spoken on &C
Il. g
the actions of its own recommended candidate
Buff its constructor has been deceived in respect
to the slavery opinions of its Yankee Governor,
its second edition revised and corrected of North
with Southern principles, let him frank
ly tell his readers so. 1t will at least enable them
for the future to estimate at their proper value
his party's powers of discrimination.
But it would be doing great injustice to lead |
our readers into the idea that each member of
the Democratic press of Richmond stands locked |
in obstinate silence, with horns down and rump
to the wall The Richmond Examiner has ia
ken different view of the occasion, and the obi
cations it imposes. That journal has for the
nonce, Indignantly broken the ties of party, and
laid before its readers full and able discussion of
the whole case, and the alarming tendencies of the
uOClrlHeS WHICH Governor Johnson. as the nigh |
est appellate criminal court, has promulgated for
lac.
We have room only for a short extract, which
we commend to the perusal of the oyerseers of
the country:
''In the second place, we deny that ''mercy and
humanity are designed for and are extended
only TO the unfortunate and to the guilty." We
deny that mercy is intended at all for negro
scoundralS xpba SIM tor |
der white men; who are guilty of breaking
their overseers' skulls with iron pokers aoithout
proroca.iog - Hatcher did. Our mercy and
humanity stop by the corpse of his unavenged
ctim;-sit down upon the grave of a young
mana freeman of the Commonwealth, entitled
to the States protecting power in the discharge
of his daily duty-butchered by assassin
slave in the prime of his life in the dawn of his
hopes in the morning of his usefulness an |
honest, industrious, reputable man, whose |
brave arm widowed mother lent,-whose blood |
cries to heaven for justice. Our humanity stops |
there If it gets any further, it is to reach other
free citizens whose lot is cast in the same line
with that Of poor Jackson. Many of these are
every day exposed to the ferocity of many more
villain negroes, quite as bloody, quite as ready,
with quite as many prominent citizens" for
their friends as Jordan Hatcher. Jordan Hatch
er is one of class. His successful and unpun-
ished murder is one of many cases. We our
selves recoect no less than four such all in |
this nei ghbourhood within the last year and u
half: the murder by slave of Peyton's overseer
in Goochland the attempts to murder Wiekharns
overseer ia Hanover, the attempt to murder
Whites oyerseer in Henrico, and this murder of
an oyerseerin Richmond. Let it once be upder-
s,aod that if n master strikes negro with whip
that gro may kill him on the spot with impu
nitv-or with a mere change of residence for
penalty. which is no penalty at all-and human
~ will find enough to do without stopping to shud
der at strangling a worthless and dangerous negro
brute"
aonorana nf