Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-11-23

recent case Of the Commonwealth vs.. Christian were
promulgated by the press throughout the State ask
you in the of justice, to publish In the Wing the
following FROM the report Of the SupentcnIen Of
the Military Institute. II is noble manly aud complete
vndicatou of his official conduct in that unhappy
Affair. Let his defence be heard by all who listened to
his condemnation.
ting this my report operations of this ns,i
tutc have state tho deeessc by violence of Cadet
killed Sunday night the 18th January lastb student
Of Judge Brockenbroughs Law class OF the county Of
Amherst, by the OF Christian As the ects Of this
case Involving the late oil another individual are st
fore the of this state o,bsAr dwell upon them
Il is my duty however, to communicate tho board OF
visitors my action in tho matter; aud it Is enenty
proper that should do inasmuch my conduct has
been most grossly represented, aud has been made
the subject OF unjust complaint and auiusdve,siou.
On Sunday night, the 18th January last, large
Der Of cadets attended divine vice in Lexington by
my permission. Cadet Blackburn, under this perm isson
accompanied young lady TO the Presby church
aud in about i've minutes altcr parting from her the
door OF the church. no slain. The unlookedfor
suddenncss aud violence Of the death Immediately aac-
It'd to the Of the tragedy all the cadets who
In church. and Of those who remained the ins-
tuc reached the ground in some 25 minutes after the
deed vas committed Apprchendng. in tho excited state
OF youthful feeling that violence might be attempted
promptly removed the body Of cadet Blackburn the in
s,itute aud succeeded In withdrawing with it every cadet
from Lexington Having deposited tho body In suits-
BILE place. assembled the cadets and earnestly suaded
them from all attempts at violence. The offender in
the hands Of the law. II tho duty every good cit
izen TO con6dc in lis faithful administration a. the SUI
preme arber; and that their minds might be relieved
from all apprchepsous this point, assured them that
the superintendent Of the institute, standing in loco
parsns not only them but to the deceased should
consider II my highest duty that fair ami impair
tisl Trial should be hsu before the Of tho country
My remarks had the desired effect, aud every cadet
promptly repaired to his room.
On the morning various were in circulation
tending in high degree to exasperate the feelings OF
the cadets Il reported, that abou, three Tour
hours after NJ. Christian had been committed jail,
eral persons masked aud otherwise III dis uisc
whom under the iu renee intoxicating hq ora
had gone tho jail aud demanded admisso as the
friends Of Mr.. Christian IL understood their applca
ton firmly resisted 10y the ,iur The circumstance
occasioned apprehension in the minds Of the cadets
that attempt wouli be inside to the prisoner
In the midst o these apprchensions an anonymous
muncluon placed III my hands 10y the MAYOR nj Lex
iug'on addressed a member of the law class ntima
ting To him, that II hi did not lsave Lexington in twenty
iouS hours blood would be she'd. This letter
handed TO The by Judge B:uckeubrouGh. Although
snb qien sh"Scd that thi, letter did proceed
from ANY cadet, other person. connected with the ns
tur, added greatly To my osn apprs!cnsion' ani III
dgced Vigilance Oh the part OF all the o,tccts Il
the institute by day and nigh, TO guard againS
! any outbreak act OF vc!cuce Of any kind. b,
personal interviews with the cadets, il mli-
lest that lhr,a Of 'o!racc had proceeded
bit grca; conccru expressed by Il. that the
wealth shoui bo slt din ihe prosecution l, known
100 that several o' the ATTEST criminal lawyers vi the
Ind b cn reaicd 10y the prisoner. aud that he would
cove the legal counsel o IN, Instructor Judge Brockeu
h:ouSh. Approximations also felt that attempt
would he made t" bail the prisoner Had such attempt
been niic, and with success my persuasion was aud
that vIUiencc would have resulted. In the tinr
made applrcat NJ kobt Glasgow, citizen Of Rock
bridge, aud relative OF ,c ec that attempt would
b. made by the defence to dp,rage the character Caet
BlacknuTu lie sought interview with me, aud suiho-
r1cd and instructed NE 10 employ Mr. Thos J. Mchs,
lawyer OF Siaunton and long tile commemorative attorney
tor this county, III his naie, ing fer the father OF
Cadet Blackburn Believing slso that the Institute,
whoss C.dc Il ,ckburn had been committed by his
father aud in viii c no rendering service and duty
To the state member Of tho "public guLri"
state arecna ia duty bound protect the honor and
Character Of its pupils, aud to protec; and gual the
honor, character, aud lives OF the Cidets-aui fur
ther that puOlic officer, bound use all 10
gal meaus TO maintain the public peace aud TO
encourage and tram the pupils committed To my charge
in correct semiinoS of duty towards the law Of the ad
a. administered by courts o Justice deemed il pro
per in communicating To Mr.. Niche the instructions OF
NJ glasgow, 10 say TO him. that in diScharGiug his duty
10 Mr. GaS:ow, "a the representative Of Mr. blackburn,
desired han ;ha; the reputation and character
:lc cadets cared for by fair aud proper trial that
the contenc oil the cadets IN; be thereby
ei ia the issrr of the trial. whatever that issue sht be-
Willie Tue regard for my public duty demanded OF
TO 10 hs much never conceived that authorised
opay Mr. chic dollar from the iunds Of the inst,
,ue or from the deposits OF tho cadctor to pledge in
involve these funds service thus
rendered by Mr Niche. also firmly refused permit
cadet TO contribute such Ii is Tor the board
o visitors before whom the facts presented. TO decide
institute or OF tue deposes OF the cadets shall be app led
10 III object II they decide against assuming any por-
ton OF e expense the friends oil Cadet Blackburn will
pay il all.
In this connection will add tina. the commonwealth.
attorney, Capt Moore, being absent from Lexington du
ring The corouers inquest aud the examination before the
committing magistrates, called upon he
turnci lie expressed great grduGc alton that Mr. Glasgow
had instructed ne TO empoy Mr. Mchie and stated hat
considering his sons relation TO the party u member
OF the law class and friend OF Mr. Christian aud hs own
I'll
niece oil l brother il was matte OF great importance
that Mr. Niche should appear in the cause that circum
staIc might require him 10 withdraw from it, aud that
under any result Necessary To have the vice and
experience Of Mr. Mchie. SO impressed Capt Mvote
With the Importance OF these views, that he promptly
wrote TO Mr.. Niche the substance of is here pre-
scented.
have thus presented to the board fail report of NV
connection with this unhappy affair IL NAV not be
out of place, before lie wing the subject that enquire m
TO the grounds OF the compliant. which the counsel OF the
prisoucr aud Others Interested his behalf have thought
proper 10 make.
What is the complaint?
lst T6.t have transcended my authority, in nppro-
printing the public funds Of the institute IN employing N
Niche as private prosecutor. The facts show that this
complaint is not tue. Not dollar has been paid or
pied sch ny me FOR such object.
~. Tnat had no right To employ Mr. Michio at all
even under the Instructions Of Mr.. Glssow Then the
public mini has been boring under gticvous
hillerto; and those who have, from year TO year.
aided ia public prosecutions, have violated duty and
morality. Then single lawyer, acting common
wcaltis attorney is to be left alone maintain
the public peace and tho public security, what
erer array OF lGsel appear ia the defence TEc
the reputation aud character Of innocent persons MAY
10 arraigred and assaiIcd b.iore a court OF justice
without defence or protection. Such is the law
nor the practice OF tins slate (; ard il the iw
Instructor OF Mr. Christian be excused aud JUS
tied, by virtue OF his temporary relation to hiu lie lea
wing the bench OF the United Safes district court AID
taking active part in the defence his al vocaic
substitute ivr the principal COUNSEL who SICK suei,
he must have nc sided views Of duty aud propIcty who
should deem ie superintendent of institute conside
lug bis more intimate personal relations to the cadets
Obnoxious TO phblc censure, fo his legitimate effort 10
protecting the memory Of his slain pupil, when, huhed
10 the sleep OF dean he unsbe speak for aud de-
cnd himself The superintendent Ia aware that when
the atc Of rolator Of the law is in DANGER s:eat liberty
allowed to those who stand up in his defence. But the
public peace and the puUlc security demand that the
rights Of individuals and Of society DO DirDged By
these interested views OF duty.
The superintendent is gratied to DO able TO state that
from every quarter Of tue State no has received evil
Hence, Of appreciation from parents, whose sons, be-
ing near the Of danger snd temptation, to
them the object Of peculiar solicitation. All seemed to