The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-03-26
aPKCIAL NOTICES.

~ Te the Voters OF Richmond. .. Among
the various which the orators OF the season
have rut Ia circulation relative to myseif' tne.e
IN which deem proper to notice. az 10 ms nj sHeet
INV oficial integrity with those to whom | am NOT
IN tvn / understand it has been publicly stated
th,t 10 the habit Of sanding to tbs Hus iuss
Cort caves that | could and ought to dispose Of a.
Mace order to make fees for the Attorney OF the
Common wealth. To refute this SANDER, il only me-
70 the records o. that Court BY law. ths Mayor can
try no case of felony iciaterey, whether COMMITTED
by white or black person and therefore IL compelled
m seua I'll such cases to the Court BY law he 10
eompeiled to try and dispose Of all sares charged with
Offences 81 less than felony THAT 10 msasmeanors) snd
cannot send them to the Court For offsnces less than
felony fmisde comm i'ted by free negro he
nav sther try them or send them to the Court. Ex-
cent where this punishment 10 pecunis'y fine under
30 he has authority TO try any iohite person DO
IL will be- that the Mayor can try no case OF
FELONY WHATEVER; though he 10 OBLIGED to try
all misdemeanors committed by SLAVES, and cannot
&c them to the Court and In ths cases OF free ne
discretion to try shsm himself send them to Court,
challenge the production Of siuele case sent by
me to Court and so In regard to white persons, ex'
cept in some few cases of unlawful assembly OF me-
goss where the party dissatisfied with my judg-
ment and to crafty them the case was sent to the
Court be tried By jury and did 90 then only after
A. to what cases i shall send to the Court, will
neither consult the wishes of the Attorney or any
bod7 else-the law alone shall govern me- and the
Court and ATTORNEY may then do what to them may
proper aud dismss every case In Court, II IL De
their pleasure to DO 90.
If my motive In sending cases to the Court were
to make fees for the Attorney. my practice twhlie
presiding in cour) has been sngularly fortunate
defestipg corrupt design | certainly do not aend
grand and petit Jurors court, to be ued for not
attending court-they ruled up by the court it
SELF and that very frequently. Now, 1t does 80 nap
pen that the court when was not on the bench or
present ally directed the clerk to tax In the Dill OF
costs in all such fee of S5 for the Attorney
How long the clerk had acted under this order, co
not know; but at subsequent term OF Inc court
the clerk taxing the cost against Jurors and IN
the statement attorneys fee OF 10, enqulr-
ed OF the clerk to know by what authority It was
dous and his reply that the court had directed
him TO allow IL in all such cases then white pre-
Gid ne ia court) Immediately said to the ceTk that
there VAS In my opinion, law to justify 1t, and
a, one of the justices the bench, objected to it,
AID moreover ssid II such practice should be con-
cords; and from that time to this no such fee has
been allowed. I refer to NJ. Howard, the Clerk and
to Mr. Jenkins his deputy for the truth of this state
ment.
There is another striking instance In which this
wicked design of mine is IN contrast with my uniform
practices, known to the Court to the Clerk, and
doubtless to the whole bar: Whenever molten has
jail until the fine and costs be paid, have varisby
dissented; and more occasions than one, given my
for it. but have been very generally overruled
by the court.
/ have thought it due to myself to make this
statement and in conclusion say, that have cards
to distribute, have attended no meetings, have no
rewards to bes'ow, or promises to make, except to
repeat the assurance, that while in Office, the laws
of the city will be impartially executed upon all Of
Tenders, without distinction according to the best
of my sbty. JOSEPH MAYO.
March 25th, 1857 NH s6--lt