Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-05-27
coyrnNoR yoHNsos,s MESSAGE.

-
The following IS Governor Jghnson's Message
sent % the Legislature fewdays ago endeasoring
10 e1 plain away his former addition senfimenss ex
pressed in his frsf one relative 10th communication
Of punishment of Jordan Hasshef- We think The
Governors want of familiarity with The ierAHieal
itixs Or law, viii not screen him from he iuss IN
dignarion oI an outraged conmuni,y less
his fotal ignorance on the whole Law touching he
relation of The white tnanss1A slave
ExrcrrrvE Dzl ssrsr. May 10, 1852.
1bE General assembly b . kinia:.
IN the discharge 81 ny constitutional duty. had the
honor % eonnaaRieate g your body On the lsh inst
slave Jordan Hatcher learn thai me terms N which
those reason expressed have been misccnstrued,
aad nv views upon the delicate relations existing be-
tween master and slave, misaPprehehded Upon this
grave subject cannot permit doubt PC rel Of the
views Ct tae Executive.
Inever entertained the opinion, did intend q
intimate thai the slave would Under any circumstances
be excused cr justified resisting the legal authority 81
his master. The right Ct the master or hs agent p
punish the slave whenever IN his opinion he deserves III
l. legal resuits from the nature of the property
ITSELF and IS necessary for wholesome discipline and re-
straint u founded the soandest principles OF pub
lie policy and Courts have held that the owner q
slare be indicted for the cruel excessive whip
ping e his slave Ii the master abuses this high
power, 50 far a e commit crime ne = 70
the laws Of the lard alonethc slave has no rights adj
verse to these Of the master or the agent 70 whom he
has delegated his authority.
these enfeffaaEO II Is almost ulle-
cessary say that my ate message, Cid not intend
to convey the idea that the relative positions OF the
white citizen and the slave, the laws Of the coun
try tic saac that the exercise BY the master
ar his aesn III the ample power chastsclaent given
by the aw furnishes any exessabe or
for resistance or exhibition Of resentment apca the
part Of the slave
Our iaws wisely discriminate between the punishment
af white and slaves for similar offences, and N my
nerposition behalf a the slave Jordan Hatcher, dd
not Intend the conviction Of my mind that
slave should not suffer death for offences below inc grade
Of murder. Ii most instances il proper n the eNeeu
ton Of the laws Upon examination q the record q
Jordan Hatehers trial and conviction came 10 the con-
cusion that ID prcsente for the interference Of inc
Executive and ecmmuted The punishment g the only
Ia stating nv reasons II have failed do so in clear
and distinct terms il has resulted rather from want O
Familiarity with the teehacates Of the law than IRON
any disposition Ihsnterpret them have the honor
Y 20 'e's 'Y'P's'I's JOS. JOHNSON
We do not see (says the Petersburg Intellfgencer)
that Gov Johnson second message has mcndcd matter
at all The comon sense Of the matter is just this
The sentence which condemned Jordan Hatcher 70 death
either ought ought not to have been commuted 10y
j. entertained opinion that il ought to be committed
and having committed it to mere change Of residence
about which the calprit did not fig, he sent IN
message assigning his reasons for the Communication
the Legislature. This message written on III
spur Of the moment but wasdrawn up with care and de
liberation which should be bestowed on such document
In this messags Gov. johnson, among ohefthidg SAID
That the penalty, under such circumstances, shout
be death though perhaps authorized BY the letter. is,
believe against the spirit Of laws and Of the age
il is contrary mercy and humanity, which are desig
cd for and only hc unfortunate and the s
Il " Ii Hatcher had been white man the utmost b
could have been charged WITH would have been justa
bic homicide, Involuntary manslaughtcr, and IN In
case it was but nlanslaughgr without intent to xiii
This doctrine, although nest alarmingiy abhorrent
Southern people, constituted Gor'r Johnsons reason
for committing Hatchers puashmentf indeed, no pun
isi,neat at all can be called Communication; and Il
recalls these rcasons--f he admits that slave, wi
makes mortal resistance against attempt to ehash'
him. made by his owner employer, shoadibc punisi
ed with death, he, in effect. leaves himself without an
reason at all for pardonne Hatcher; for that Hatch
!, was substantially pardonca, man doubts PAS Cove
nor johnson has taken back, explained away his
reasons we would advise him to send in third nAessag
giving his new reasons for his conduct ia ateirs cas-
The truth Of the whole affair is Just this Gov job
son. born in free State, has spent nearly all has ie
portion of Virginia, whcre there are few, if an
slaves and be IS therefore, not as properly alive TO
necessity for strict suboranaton among slaves as tho
- VIC have snent their lives in the midst Of them
F" Summers, whom Gov. Johnsonss partizans cbarg
with bc1ng an aboltionist, promulgated such enarn9
doctrines as this Democratic Governor has .n,o,ra
the Democracy would have hung him with
and yet as lar as We have seen, but one Democratic
pcr-the Examincr-has yentured to cc,,a,re Tho 4. -