The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-04-03
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

Saturdays Enquirer has an article upon rail.
road and steamboat accidents The chapter of ac
cidents for the year 1853, says the Enquirer is ap
paihng. How comes it to pass, that in one year,
more than one thousand individuals have been hur
ried into eternity by accidents railroads and Ca
tastrophes on our inland waters9 Why should
there be, In twelve months one hundred and ninety
railroad accidents, and forty eight steamboat acci
dents, killing and wounding more than two thou.
sand human beings? To what causes are these
fearful facts fairly attrbuable2 Passing over the
usual practice of bestowng censure upon the reck-
lessness of those who have steamboats, and rail
way trains in charge the Enquirer finds the causes
which induce that recklessnsss in the hurry and
go-aheadativeness of the travelling public Men
are not content at this day to jog along at sober,
quiet, and safe pace, they were in former days
The result is that the managers of our railroads
and steamboats, are forced to keep up with the
prevailing spirit, and locomotives and steamboats,
are constructed with reference to the speedy tran
sit Of passengers, ettentimes in utter disregard of
their safety. The Enquirer suggests as a re
medy the passage of laws providing that good ar
rangements shall be made in every department
and that only reasonable degree of speed shall be
allowable.
The editorial columns of the Post are filled with
extracts from late foreign intelligence, and COM
ments thereon.
The Mai aliudes TO committees report in the
House of Representatives adverse to the House
bill making grant of public lands to the several
States and Territories for the benefit of the INDECENT
insane, which takes the ground that Congress has
authority to dispose OF the public lands for that
purpose. The Mail endorses the remarks of the
National 1ntelligencer upon that system of govern
ment which can by act offer free grants of the
public domain to the paupers and vagabonds of
every nation of the Old World, and yet make it un
constitutional to grant any portion of the same for
the support and comfort of the most forlorn and
destitute of our own kindred and countrymenl-
The Mail egards as equally Inconsistent the dispo
sal of immense bodies of the public lands for rail.
road and other purposes.
The Hhig-reierring to the fact that some papers
are opposing extra session OF the Legislature
for the reason among others, that it is unconstitu
tonal-saye it is clearly within the provisions Of
the constitution TO have an extra session in two
ways first by application to the Governor from
majority of the members of both houses, and next
when in his opinion the interests OF the common
wealth may require it. Nevertheless the Wing is
opposed to the holding of extra session; and at
ter some severe reflections upon the Legislative
capacity of majority of the members of the pre-
sent General Assembly, goes In for a trial of
biennial sessions any how. 1t has heard great
deal OF their beauties for time past, from the
very men who are now the peoples Representa-
tiyes and has some. curiosity to see how the prac
tice conforms with the theory