Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-05-22
RICHMOND CORRESPONDENCE,
RICHMOND, Va, May II.
u The Editor of Tie ." Mirror

RICHMOND, Va, MAy1l.
To the Editor Of the Mirror"
Long before this reaches you,
it will be known to you that order does
not reign in Richmond. A couple Of
months since slave killed his over.
seer in Tobacco factory in this city.
He was tried at once and condemned
to death By tile Court. You are aware
ofthe fact that our code provides but
three punishments for slayes,-whip-
ping, hanging, or selling to be carried
beyond the United States. Many'dis-
tinguished gentlemen of this city got
up petition, asking the Governor to
commute the punishment to transport.
alton. Said petition was signed by S.
S. Baxter, late Attorney General, and
Wing candidate for the same Office
by nearly all the Bar who heard the
evidence on trial,-by nearly all the
clergy ofthis city, and by such pri.
vate citizens as w. A. Mcfarland,
d. II. Loudop, j. R. Anderson, &C.,
a long list following whose names are
iamiliarall over Virginia. The Gov.
ernor examined the case, and as he in
formed me, on the merits, granted the
retilion; and the slave is now in the
Peniten:iary, awaiting a sale to be
transferred, and may possibly be con-
fined there if no purchaser be found,
for life. 80 '-
On Friday morning last most in
ilammatory notice was published in
nearly all tho papers for an indigna-
ton meeting that night. At the hour,
the city Hall was crowded with just
such population as no othcr town in
Virginia can, for its honor, produce.
Inaammatory' appeals were made 10
the worst passions of tho rabhlc, and
one OF two persons who tried to speak
words of soberness, were Kissed down
by tho mob, who ruled supreme
The Governor was denounced in the
most bitter resolutions that malice
could suggest. The truth is that the
Governors politics was at the bottom
of the whole thing, and a fewvery obs
tusc Democrats, and some who were
disappointed in retaining office, were
used as a cat's.paw. After the meet
ing adjourned, about one-half of the
two thousand who composed it pro.
ceeded to the Governors house, and
were guilty of conduct never before
known in Virginia. For more than
an hour the mob yelled around the
house like Indians; pebbles were
thrown against the windows; the door
bell was kept ringing, and every sfs-
cies of vulgarity and obscenity was
heard. The Governor was called an
" aIolitioaia," and was invited out to
be HUNG, rode ON a rail, tarred aud
tsatAercd, and threats oftearing down
the. house. If a police officer was
present, he was not seen, and the May
or is said to have told tho crowd utter
it was nearly all gone that ait was
time to retire"
The next morning resolutions were
introduced in the House of Delegates
to inquire into the propriety Of remov-
ing the Capitol from Richmond
They were passed nearly two TO one.
The Senate laid the resolutions on
the table to await action from the city
authorities, but passed others TO in
vcstigate tho whole matter. What
the Senate will do about removing the
Capitol, l do not know. Many speech
es were made in the House by men Of
both parties denouncing the mob in
the bii,erest terms, who have threat
cned to lynch many of the members.
One member. on Saturday evening u
bout s o'clock. at the northwest cor
ner oflhe public square, was ASSAULT
ed by ten or twelve desperados, but it
being in full view of large number
of members, the mob could not pause
safely long enough to do thcperson ut
tackled much injury,
On Monday morning a call for q
meeting was made for that evening at
the city Hall to dcnounce the mob,
and sustain the law, but fear of tho
rabble caused n change to be made,
viz to have the meeting at s in the
evening, before dark. When it first
met it was composed of the most res:
pectablo gentlemen Of tho city, aud
The resolutions of the common council
which had adjourned few minu,es
before, were unanimously adopted
A SGT Of strong resolutions wore then
proposed denouncing the mob; but
by this time the forces from Scream
ersville, Bu,chertown and Hell.town
were out in full force, and such scene
l never again wish to see. Such res
pectable gentlemen as Robt. G. Scott
and w. A. Mcfarland could not DO
heard. Shouts, Kisses, yclls, cat calls,
were tho order Of tho day, and tho bet.
ter pprt ofthe meeting was oycrruled,