The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-02-28
LocAr. MATTERS.

Tur CArrror. souAnx.--On Friday last com.
municafiou from the Governor, in relation to the
Capitol Square, was laid before the House OF Del.
srates. and special committee was appointed to
consider the subjects embraced In his communca.
ton, together with communication enclosed In the
| Governors, from Mr.. Thomas T. Giles. mber
of the committee on the Public Square, appointed
| under nm ordinance of the Common Council, and
document from the Attorney General Of the State.
From these documentst appears that the Gov.
erner has had some difficulty in determining the
respective powers and duties of the State and city
authorities in respect to Improvements the Pub
lie Square, and he applied to Mr.. Bocock the At
torney General, for his opinion on tbs subject, who
quotes the law to show that the Governor has the
veto power in relation to any improvements or.
dered under the ordinance of the Common Council
Under this power the Governor states that he &C.
quiesced nthe recent improvements Of the Square
| west of the Capitol, because the work had been
commenced under the superintendent of the
Councils committee previous to his coming into
office, and because 1t could not very we'll have been
suspended, even If ii had been desirable to do SO,
which he did not think was desirable, as the work
/ there ne believes added much to the improvement
of that part Of the Square.
| To the change contemplated by the Councils
committee on the eastern and southern portion of
the Square the Governors opposed, and therefore
he arrested the work on this portion, which was
| commenced during his absence from the city. He
states that the csmmttee's plan would effect "a.
dicsl change of the eastern southern grounds |;
would fill up the beautiful vale" east of the Ca
pitol and change the whole face of the grounds
there-a work which, he thinks, would not be
| commensurate with the expense incurred upon il.
Moreover he doubts his authority, under existing
laws, to make such "Tadics" changes in the Pub
lie Square, and says that If he has the power, the
money cannot be spared from the contingent fund
of the Executive to pay for such improvements
The Attorney. General gives his opinion that the
Governor has power only to sanction small i'm
provements, and no power TO make g radical
changes' on the public square, and in this opinion
the Governor agrees.
The Governor, therefore, submits the whole sur
ect to the Legislature, with the remark, that if
shall deem it advisable to carry out the committees
plan, in reference TO the southern and eastern
work, will be necessary to make direct appro.
priaton to meet the States portion of the expense,
the contingent fund having nothing to spare for
tina! purpose"
The communication of Mr.. Giles is very lengthy
document in which ne refers to the relative powers
of and to the manner in which those powershave
been exercised by the State and city governments
ever since the State became in possession ii the
Square; and shows that the city has been very Ii
beral in behalf of the Square The sum CT two
hundred dollars was paid to Mr.. hoffman, Of Phila
delphia gentleman Of accredited taste and expe
rience in ornamental groundwork, for the plan Of
the improvement which has recently neen pro-
crossing On the Square, (and which Mr. G. hopes
will be allowed to progress to completion) while
the city has expended, in the years 81 and 49, the
sum of $3.50 "a on said square, and also caused
trees to be planted around with boxes to protect
them, &C. The completion of the plan of Mr..
hoffman, Mr.. Giles thinks, will not require, with
the use of the convict labor, now authorised by
law and the sale of the materials from the Square,
the gravel paving stone &C., msre than $500
per annum from the's State during the progress of
| the work.
We hope that the plan of Mr.. hoffman may be
, carried out to completion. Warmly opposed as
we were at first to his proposed improvement now
that it has been begun, and successfully accom-
plished thus far we are decidedly in favor OF its
|
has become necessary as part and parcel Of what
has already been done. Harmony demands a con
tinuation of the Improvement ON the soath of the
Capitol if it does not require it on the east The
mound between Bank street and the Capitol re-
euires shaving down and remodeling, in order
to harmonze with the other Improvement, and to
, afford view Of the Capitol from Bank street.
We trust the Legislature will show some libe.
raity on this subject This beautiful squar belongs
to the state, while the city has expended much up
on it. The people of Washington, we believe, have
the use of the Public Square, and yet Congress
does not require them to contribute one cent TO.
wards its improvement. Our public Square, for
natural beauty is the boast of all strangers and is
surely worthy Of liberal care the part of the
State. If we had the power, we would cut away
about half of the mound lying between the Wing
Office and the Governors house, and open a view
anu passage to the Square from Governor street
opposite the Richmond House, and make other i'm
provements not embraced in the plan of Mr.. Not
man-improvements which we believe are de.
manded by utility and convenience, as well as the
beauty of the Public Square.
4 MICRO FIGHr.-Two negroes, one named Henry
a Bryce; owned by Mr. John Caskie, and the other
named John Clayton, the property of Mr.. w. Fl
. Thornton, were each ordered to receive twenty
stripes by the Mayor, last Saturday, for engaging in
fight, near the second market at an early hour
that moreing. Henry and John had had dispute
about money transaction, and meeting that morn.
ing in Bowman's grocery, the dispute was renew
ed, Henry gave John the lie and struck him, and
John in return gave Henry three severe blows on
+, the head with pound weight, one of which Sc
q vered an artery in his forehead, which Dr. Beae
was called upon to take up. Henry's punishment
was deferred until another time
e. ORDINANCE VIoLArIoNs.-Seversl of our Cit
! gems were summoned before the Mayor to answer