Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-06-09

Gov. johnson seems to lave got hinlse
into serious difficulty at the very outset D
his Executive career. In committing tic
sentence Of death pronounced BY the IIusting:
Court Of Richmond, upon Jo,don Hatcher, d
slave, for the murder Of WIN. r. jackson, be
has justly brought upon himself the iudigna-
lion Of every lover Of law and order. Gov
Johnson's message to tho Legislature Of tht
18th OF May, was regarded as Containing
sentiments sabyersive Of tile true relations
between master and slave" be was therefore
compelled to come out with another on Tho
18th. explanatory Of tho first, which is BY nc
means satisfactory, and contains doctrines
according to the views of the present Demo
cratic Legislature, which "tead 10 produce
INSTRUMENTATION among the slave popula-
ton. On Wednesday last Mr.. Douglas Of
fered the following resolution among others,
10 tho Senate, which, on his own motion, was
laid on the table
Resolped, That whilst we differ with the
clusion, yet regarding the act Of committing
the sentence Of the slave Hatcher as only cog-
nlzablc IN court of conscience, we do not
think any legislation On the SUBJECT called
for ut this time.
And there no doubt ends the matter, SO
far as the Legislature is concerned
Tie Wing Of the 4th says: "a motion
was made yesterday, in the Senate, to take
up the resolutions ia reference to tho action
Of the Governor and was voted down by a
vote Of 10 to la few democrats voting
with the wings IN the affirmative This, we
presume, is the final disposition Ct the sub
ject by the Democratic Senate. They refuse
to condemn the reasons" assigned by the
Governor, and therefore they substantially
approve them The doctrine, then, that
master cannot correct his servant without
being Jast.fa6ly slain by him. must be under
stood as receiving the sanction Of the Demo-
cratic Senate. The lower House, by a very
decided vote, declared that that doctrine ten
ded - produce iasuboraiaation. The dem.
oeratlc leaders in the House all opposed this
deeision--which was carried By the wings and
the rank and file Of the democracy united.
The subject is one Of such vital conso-
quence, that it must necessarily enter largely
into all public discussions. We have heard
Of Abolition at distance; but here ii is now
in our very midst"
A large meeting Of the people OF Amelia
County, irrespective of party, was held at
Amelia Court House on the Goth of May,
and the following among other resolution,
passed with @entirc unarimiiy.:7
Resoloed, therefore, That Governor John,
son, by inerposing the executive veto upon
the Judgement Of The Court, has grossly vio-
lated the trust reposed and forfeited the con
hdenec Of the people, 50 generously bestowed
on m
Resolrea. That whilst we do not arroratc
to ourselves the power Of dictation, we claim
1t to be our right and privilege freely to cx-
press our opinions upon the official acts Of
our public servants aud that we visit with
our condemnation aud adherence, this act of
the Chief Magistrate of Virginia, which has
already produced in our midst spirit Of IN
snbordination, leading to violcacc and blood
shed.
Rssolred, That having forfeited tho conf
dence OF the people, the most satisfactory re
paration that can be made is a surrender to
their hands OF the trust he has betrayed, that
It may be conferred on one more worthy to
exercise it.
bEs@We are indebted to John Way, Esq,
ef the Maryland Legislature, for copy Of
the Report of the Select Committee apppin-
ted 10 cnnsider 90 much of Gau Inurn, Ma