Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-20
TIRE KANSAS TRAGEDY.
PUBLIC MEETING !; wIsCiiEsrE8. VA

| ". " s-I Sas caaa 70 .tG SiE.f, ana Powell Con-
! rad appointed Secretary.
On r,o,ror. a committee consisting of Massrs J
Randolph Tucker l.. 7. Moore, +. ". III. HUlii:ay,
Ro. +. Baldwin and I. i. I. Riel-y, wss cppoinisi
| to prepare resolutions:
The committee reported ITO following pfeafnb and
| RESOLUTIONS, which were uus5inDu-ly adopted:
Tbs p:opia CT the town Of Winchester, IN the State
| 81 Virginia, nave hesrI with dsan coHosrr of the
| unneiy and -ic!.c. crsth Of William I: Sh-rrard,
ESQ, ii the :oyu cf LecoInp;on, 10 the Territory Of
| Kansas.
Bo.r caG reared in their midst, he had gone to the
Western: frontier to advance his persors Fortunes
! Upon :ha terms # equaiify Of rHh: guaranferc
by the Constitution of the Union Ma!isnty has rsst
its reproach upon his name his lineage and his cha
recteri and the town, which rgrtured his boyboed,
and now protects his rspains, ID called upon 10 90
| fend his memory
It's deemed unnecessary, in the statement which
follows, to notice IN dstsil the infamous slsnd.rs
which have been presented TO tho country 10 respect
to Mr. SherrGrd from Official and unohc;al sources.
Ncr wiz it De proper further hsn Is necessary TO
y'udicate hi' character, to advert 10 The action o'
;foee cEc bold Offices of trrst end authority IL hnn.
sas Il is ou- dly 10 present, from sources deemed
reliable, statement which shall remove al. q !hs
odiutn tha; ns;ice bas attempted to cast upon the
| name Of the dead
WIN. T. Saerrard wes born in Winchester, July IS,
1873 Of parents whose respecabi!ity giygs ,1em po
sition with the most distinguished Of citizens.
he wss well educEted, ana mad store6 his mind with
useful knowledge. IIe posa-s.ed an independence Of
mind which prompted bin to enterprise and MS bold
| and active nature ed him To seek the frontier or
! the West ,be home OF his life.
Iii heaitn FOR years had in degree psra!yzcd
/ his great energy o: %; bit 10 resolved to recover
his health in tie adventurous scar"s OF Terri
! tory, en! 10 link bs destiny with here
He lei, his native town 18th !h- hearty Cod speed
of her citizens, and :he warm and more hearty besa.
! ings Of hi, ialher's family. He Gxs ia t0iEe iG
Karsas in tbs mouth OF September. 1855.
On the l6;h day oi D=cgrb-r, 1851. Mr Sherrsr''
County Sheriff in the place Of Samuel J. Jones, T1o
had resigned
Under the celebrated ksnsas act Of 1854. the mois
Of election Of the Sheriff left 10 the determine
ton Of the Governor aud Legislative ssInbv nf ,,r
Territory OF Kansas. and ~ iiir same act i; prov
ded that the Governor "shaN co,uma.ion all officers
who shall be appointed L. "ice unde. tie laws oi tho
eaii Territory.
Under {. iaw passed by The Legislative Assembly
and sanctioned by The Governor as suppose, since
I il was not vetoed; and unless vetoed must have re-
caived his ssnctunj it was provided ,ha! in of
vacancy in th office OF Sheriff, 1T ssl! bs llea by
appointment by the tribunal iransacing county ba-
ntls, for the unexp plred term and that the Sheriff
.'sha bs commissioned by the Governor
by the abatement under oath OF " -. I. Sharrhrd
himself, whose truth and hcncr 1ers too wei! known
and valued here t. uo Gi-regarded by the people NJ
WncSe.ter, il appears that the 18Th OF December
1856 he called a, the Governors office and enGu:rtd
il tho certificate of his appointment had been sen! Ia
/ him. The Governor replied that II had bsen, .u:
Sierrard requested his commission as CC0a poser
bic. assigning as reason the p.ssGlng character q"
public bushes, which YVES suspended III The interval
Tine Governor i: the OF The conversation said
! '.Jaeiu.e make this appointment 'cih 10 Sno2'
.chsLher you crpcck 10 0c5 tttmicdtLy 10 me Or not
/ The OF Sherrard MAS llut only Proper, but
/ evinced that noble Independence spirit which
! oninsuty his characteristic. lie said that III exc
cutting the oii;ce ~ which he had been appointed he
shoud eni.avor to be guided only by his oath a2d
hs duty and whilst he did this should oefainiy pay
No regard 10 him, his WISHES, Or Opinions
: The Governor p.omisGi hG: the c0nnIss;o should
he mad. out by ,he nes day. II WIS nat done
Several days ate. Mr. SIierrard wros letter.
kiag for,na delnand or h. co!a;nias:on winch r
deferred eenaing hearing inst the Governor nhf
Esid lie haG never .Gteisd - refuse the commissions
but only Delayed aIt The return 1i the Secretary {"
Inc Territory. UPON which -y"nt happening the cui
! mission wuu,: 6s seut. The Secretary re;utnai 81
! the 10Th OF Drceraber. Hr. Sherrsrd waited un
the 29 ci tho Rnne mouth, agi then sen! hs ieeT
which he never received d reply. lie subsequent"
iy a-ked for maDdamUs from thG Judge, but Though
til. Judge of opinion tbs Goysr23: c2":d aot e-
| galy refuse to givs tbs aJ:a!a.:s.og ne decided BE-
! could net award a ,n2n1amds ~crn: IL Term time.
On tie 18th uf January. III, fhe House OF Repre-
senialves ol the Territory passed resolution re-
/ Gue-trs ihe Governor Ia furnish 10 ;f;" Hou-- i.
statement OF his r-esone ior not commissioning Nj
! Sh-rrsrd as Sheriff Of Douglas.
! Upou the lie. of January 1857, tne Governor re-
Piled that prior to il. 2...:11Icsuiau 10 me- the APP
pc.u'meut Of S,r. Eherrsrd wgs protested agas, by
! EsEi god ct2cns OF LecGippton anc Of Douglas
county. d. hs habits and passlOns rendered him en-
tire.y unfit for the proper performance or TBS es
| OF The o:Ii.e, There nea no irar,ica i"asTsr. or
nv psrt to withhold III. cc,a,.issiou, but in c"nss
/ Gu.nce Of the shasnc2 c ;ns Secretary "t tt. Ter
r,iorv il 5Hl tsiLss ir several days. during which
.iu.s its informed BY 'nanv respectable Fentrm'H
among rtom 'csrc tc0,e IF me county t-3urn|l'"
wt,c. lie Gerircd has 6nDc;HiITsas the; Mr. Gefrard
had been engaged IN several d!unke2 3rrila, Eghtrg
| au;. shooting persors "::S Dis.vis, Gnd :hEessn.
! ing others hsY2 s,rre been in:orrnsd, that these
facts .o:cr.ons 20 the cizens o !ae place, aud
! can EASILY be substans.eG hy proof. Should tine
Contrary te r:aa Clearly 10 APPEAR no one will re.
,icp more he.-li,y than myself. Si a IS t1y ccsira
10 be distinctly understood tnst viii commission n:'
n1e .a5orns :nder sue. charges as woI'd IMPAIR, II
net entirely destroy bis ussu.aaes' or whose phssions
ard habits would reader him I:1b for :h- proper
discharge of his duties, which night in any InaD
ner eudaugsr the peace Of the Territory"
The House referred tSc nss1rg. - : coT:nto'.
with bill to declare Te!id the ou:ls ac!: WIN. L.
Sn.rrsrd and 10 make vad HI. appointment 10 ;he
office OF Sheriff &C.; ant :he committee unanimous.
~ reported that the GoyCrGnr mad right TO with
hold the commission from Nj. Saerrord that ;ae az
pontment by the County Court satil.et ain to the
commission, which the Gor>'no': u o:schsrgirg u
purely u,iEis. ar;s. duty Tss Bound 3y law 20 give
Il turlt.r adopts the statement Of Mr. Shtrrsrd as
part os the report asserts hat the committee can
out look upon tbs reasons given in the message as
rros: ossaun aroa the character Of crt:zs7 q tag
municstiun was grat.:tous and uncel!ed .p-." Thsy
.xo-s.s their belief tbs: he County Court "a to NJ
Sbsrrard'. appointment h.T: .Sen no resson to
change their opiaoc CT i:, rToprsty. uotwi'hstaac.
iny the iu.it,.!oas Of the ,n.s..ge." They report
bec.: ;5e biz committed 80 them, recommending It's
passage, as a wholesome cheek" upon ths "e1ecE.
tive authority"
In The Judgment OF ,hi. meeting, tha Y.ewe G! the
committee arc -. sustained upon princ'pis and lis
denial OF The persona! cscres n ise message Is )ust
jaI p-j
ITron aI,anriiy, whic ia deemed sufficient for iis
satr" confidence. ths meeting is satisfied that Inc
ohsrys Of drunken hrnie Ia untcunded IN truth tha.
,lo ntimation Of habits hitting him tor the osre ia
unjust and that The charge OF the eJb bi:icn OF pSs
sions," and fighting, shcot:c: end threateui-'
without any spuciecntcrs Of time, parties or place,
was &c assault upon personal character: which can
end TO justification under color OF discharge ot ph
oal duty.
TIE on,7 instance in which hcrs was any color tor
Ouch charge there is just warran. for saying, the
violence uaed in defence Of psraon and cba'sc'ef
scainsi wanon iusTt end violence asssI'ii Sne 'hst
il occurred when there and Soa!d haze tAen no
e1citement from ntemp rance; ala It Is unquestion'
able that it was .Tei known ~ tho court when IL a
pointed hi,n, aad to the Governor when' en- Inc 1871
OF December, he promised to comms,ion him.
'Tbrsp who knew hin here know that, ~hie ssTsi'
tivcy alive to assaults upon hs honorand ready 10
rssent them when intended ss suci-Nr. sne'Isrt
was nc brawltr: and was never inteuperate before
leaving Virginia.
There is ample warrant for adding mat thoesn me
conditions of society and habits Of the people s;:'IS
whom he has recently been living are leg :eltIe'nsd
than in the older settlements OF 10 coaa'y' ne was
temperate in his ha6;ts s:G courteous IN ms aemean'
or ,p all who ge-e ci7i 10 MINI and 1t is further aver.
red, t,:a t:o, bis appointment BY the Coun,y Court
10 ii, dsaiS, he drank nothing which could into1i-
cate; and lhat as & matter Of official propre'y'
Il woui no, become this meeting 10 charactsriS
~. condnr, of GOV. Geary ~ 1t would seem &c is.
servs. But standing in the posi'io: af ths party
he whose rPrTc.S2
mid.t, this inee,ins does 1o hesitate to declare that
80, no,,oc In resting under this assauit uno. his
nsrsona charnctsr-an assault msde to justify off
p;a fasaace from jan 81. mi, Feb. III, without
en- attempt 10 v:ndcs;. Himself by reaorting to mesn'
recognized e-ong men OF tie world upou principles
cf SoridiY honor.