Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-05-17
VIRGINIA LEGgsLATUgsE.
shet. n ofsl,e Des,a1e

sAetcs csa ofihe Debate
IN tie HoHse 9f Delegates Saturday, on TIE
Reso'gtons IF Mr. Leuis, IN reference % Tie
Pr0reediags 56fore tAe Corcamor's Uoase.
Mr. Robinson, of Richmond city. said thar a
slave had been sentenced hy the CorporaGrn
Coutl ~ Richmond. to be punished with death.
and u tiovernor, IN the exercise Of the nus
thority contorrcd on him by the constitution and
the laws had ordered commugtion Of Ills
punishment b. directing Lin 10 Be transported
hcyond the United States He believed the
Governor had exercised the power not only
lawfully, bul conseicptiously. Iet there ere
differences OF opinion in regard 10 il, and some
Of the citizens had held meeting an. express
ed their sentiments on the subject. No Just
exception could be taken to their right pcacea-
bly, to express their opinions in public meet
ing. even by persons " ho might think such ac
lion unnecessary. But if any OF them had gone
to the executive mansion 10 noisy and tumu.
tnous manner to in. ult the Governor or annoy
his family, because Of The executive action. he
(Mr. R.) would look upon such conduct. no,
With appreciation, but with reprobation. Such
conduct. he thought. should be examined into
toy the constituted authorities OF the city; and
he anticipated such examination. Sill he as
very willing the matter should be inv cstigated
by committee of the Legislature. But he
was UNIV willing to see resolution adopted
which assumed as fact. that the executive
could not, In this city, discharge his executive
functions, Without being subjected to insult and
bis mansion to violence. He thought no reso-
luton should be adopted. importing that it was
Necessary amy such ground TO remove the
seat Of Government
In reference TO the remark Of Mr.. Lewis.
that all The citzcns Of Richmond were 10 blame
who had not taken steps to prevent " hat had
occurred, Mr.. r. said that such citizens he
had conversed with yesterday on The subject
had thought it best no, add 10 the size ofthe
meeting by & ing to it, but diminish its size by
staying away. This course, it was thought
wonld make ii what sometimes termed, a
flash in The pan. 1t had never occurred to him
thar ifa meeting was held, anything more could
be done than 10 pass some resolution expires
sivc of their opinions. 1t had not entered into
his mind that any Of the mcetiug would alter
wards 90 that night 10 the Governors bouse.
Had he anticipated such thing although very
htiie given to attending night meetings he
might and probably would have gone to
do what he could TO induce those present qui-
ely To dlsperse.
III reply To Mr.. White. of Hanover, Mr. r.
SAID he1hought the gentleman mistaken IN sup
posing that what had been sald and done
against The Governors action, was the work Of
men poiiiicall, opposed To the Governor. The
President oi the meeting MAS ci the Democrat
c party, and the opiinons when he iiad heard
expressed by cllixels of Richmond against the
Governors 5 actlon came III fal proportion from
that party. I he opnians which he had heard
expressed by them On that subject. ii seemed Ia
him were governed mainly by their views on
the suhlcci OF fslavery-thc'r views OF what was
required by sonul pohcy- IN reference to the
relation herween master and slave
M r. said he should willingly vnte for the
substitute offered by the gent il man from Hano
Yer.
Mr.. Howerion, Of Halifax. spoke substan-
taly AZ follows:
Mr. Spcaker:--l am sorry | have to differ
on, this occasion with some friends. with whon
| often cooperate. | regret rs | stated when
first upon the floor, that was not in my scat
" hen the original resolutions were offered, and
hence have not heard all that has been urged
in their favor | understand, however, that
those resolutions, offered by my friend from
Harrison, (Mr. Lew Isl which have undeniaiily
grown of the mol, Of last evening, have in
view the removal Of the seat of Government.
Sir | am opposed to the mob and to the re-
moval Of the Capital, as a means of redress.
and shall support the substitute offered by my
friend from Hanover, Mr.. White,l which pro.
poses to raise joint committee invested with
pow er to send for persons and paPers-charg-
ed with the duty of ascertaining the persons
engaged in the riot and recommending such
measures Of punish ment and redress. jus
tice and the dignity OF the Commonwealth de-
mand u..a au~a
1t is 10 be regretted, Mr.. Speaker, that here
in the heart Of our good old Commonwealth. a
mob has been raised to insult her chief Magis-
trate for executing what he deemed his solemn
duty. Sir. 1t was wrong, grossly wrong and
dsgracet'il, for two or three hundred men to
assemble around the mansion of one individual.
to insult and attack him; and when add that
they did, In pursuing their purposes insult and
tighten defenceless females. the very least |
say Of their conduct Is, that it was unlnan
y in the fullest extent. .-r
But for this is the removal ofthe Capital the
proper remedy To remove the Capital would
be 10 punish the Innocent with the giilty-those
unconcerned, as well as those concerned in the
rlot-my constituents, as well as the rioters. |
humbly submit that the proper redress for this
gross outrage, is TO bring as far as can the
offenders not only 10 justice, but In full view
of the gaze Of public indignation, and at the
same time, rot to visit our censure upon those
who are innocent in this matter as We our
selves. Adopt the substitute, then, Of my
friend from Hanover. Mr.. White,) and your
committee can ferret ont the rioters-report
them 10 the public-to the law and to justice;
and can then recommend such measures Of re-
dress as seem proper--even the removal Of
the Capitalirself, if that eeems to be the prop
er measure. The orig inal resolutions, however,
seem TO look upon this removal Of the seat Of
Government as their primary object, while our
first object now. it seems, ought to be to main
tain the dignity Of the chief Executive office
of the State. This object. it appears 10 me-
can be better effected by putting dorm the mob,
rather than by pulling dorm Me Capitol-by
removing the rioters. than by removing the scat
of Government.
What is to be gained by removal Of the
Cspitall ! suppose the advocates Of these re-
solutions will claim that we will escape mobs,
as it was the disgraceful mob of last evening
that gave rise TO the resolutions. But can we
go to any spot where we will, for all time. be
entirely secure from mobs? Place the seat Of
Government where you WILL and the patron
age and other circumstances attending it, wiI
in the ,.,Tt a tax, ,,,J -