Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-01-31

jf the State Of Virginia; that he who lmag!neS,
it was the habit to imagine some years ago,
that 8 BARRIERS pole with a wig upon it, can dis
charge it's duties as they ought to be discharged,
is very much mistaken Laughter and up
plause.
Whilst stript by great jealousy Of Executive
power Of much Of its authority, embarrassed
even by such jealousy in the iulhl'nent OF It's
constitutional obligation to see that inc laws
arc faithfully executed; worse still "nlle re-
lieved of much Of the just responsibility which
it should bear, the office Of Governor OF slrgl-
MIA is replete with duties so urgent in their
several requirements, so important in their eX-
ioencies, so various and so intricate in their ma
ture and combinations, and all imperatiyely de-
handing promptness in decision and in action,
nc TO tax to the utmost all the capacity and all
the energy even Of the most efficient public
servant.
In official appointments in the application
of constitutional construction and organic rs
we'll as mere administrative laws; in promo
ting public works; in experimenting finance,
revenue, ordinary accounts, the banking s!s'
tenn and currency !: in experimenting the pris-
onS; in guarding the asylums and the literary
fund, and the incidents Of the charities ana CD
ucational system Of the State in executive acts
hardly distinguishable from Judicial power in
criminal cases; in that power which have SO
often been tempted to believe ought hardly
to be trusted to any less than an almost AL
mighty hand, the power of life and death; IN
the thousand smaller daily duties which hinder
and harasS the discharge of the higher lihc'
tons, and in which the office ordinarily is as
various and multiGarious in its calls as any oil
flee well can be, the main difficulty, too. beng
that these calls come not alone nor Slowly anu
regularly along,.but arise suddenly, many ana
at once, and demand prompt decision and ac-
tion-in these particulars even OF ordinary al
.ministration, the Office requires an activity as
we'll as strength that would try the ability
and the power Of endurance Of any man that
breathes.
Nv only rule was to decide and act at once
in every instance, and have all business in turn
finished as it presented itself. The result is
that to the last moment the journal was faith
fully kent I'D and finished. No man, no inca
sure was kept waiting unnecessarily "a single
day.
But, sir, it was my fortune in the last four
years to have met not only the ordinary duties
of the Executive of the State of Virginia, but it
was Inv part to meet various extraordinary du-
ties. | had to encounter first the alarm of the
Instruction Of 1851. 1t is forgotten now
that precursor Of the IIarpcr's Ferry raid
Night after night, at midnight, was | walked in
my bed, to be told by my W servant that I'm
surrection had come again'-insurrection that
has been whispered over this land for the last
Quarter of n century, Instruction that sounds
Ikea night-bell, insurrection that is printed and
published, instruction that cXcitcs and in
flames, instruction that did not then risk your
safely and mine, but risked the safety Of that
race around us andIwith US and under US, whose
safety, as well as yours, it was my high duty
TO protect. had no fears OF Instruction |
proclaim it to the world; my W scrrants.knew
it my ~ncighbors knew ii, that | had perfect
confidence in them; I proclaim it to those
who would incite insurrectlon, that would
have riskcd the arms of the State in the hand:
Of my own slaves to defend me. Applause.
Next came the commercial and financial
crisis Of 1857. And in this crisis, found
myself constitution2lly invested with powers
nothing less than dictatorial in extent and I'M
portancc. Virginia has been distinguished, hcI
Legislature has been especially cautious in all
her history, in guarding against Executive
power, vet | found myself so armed with the
power of the public credit in the year 1857,
that BY a single dash from that fore finger and
thumb, | could have crushed every bank issue
in your pockets. That crisis was met, and
need not inform you how. expect that you
were sufficiently wcaricd two years ago in read
ing the very long message in which, told you
how.
The third crisis Of my term was the adjourn
ment Of the Legislature of the State without
discharging its full duty to the public works o.
the State, and there the exercise Of the onc-mar
power Of immediately recalling the General
Assembly to its post for the purpose Of con
tinuing the public works which Virginia, above
every State in the Union, so much needs, de-
voIved upon me. | assumed the responsibility
to exercise this .power, and Immediately re
ceired full assurance that the General Assembly
itself approved the act.
Next, and fourth, came the Federal crisis o.
Lecompton, another forerunner of the scenes
at Harper's Ferry. This, too, I had to meet
and all | have to say Of that crisis is, that
where I stood then, | stand now. Applause.
The fifth crisis, and the last, was the crisis
of the raid Of John Brown. Gentlemen, that
still is the theme Of prominent discussion il
the State and the country. am not goin.
into the causes, | am not going into
the facts Of the scenes Of llarper's Ferry
I have not said all | have to say on that sub
jcct, and | shall guard myself particularly
through life not to say all | coulC
say upon it; rubies would not win mt
to tell all the facts Of the raid Of John Brown
I will not tell to the world either all the fact:
in my possession, or all my opinions OH The
subject of that tragedy. | have told the worl,
enough for the justification Of my action in thu
case, and there is much yet untold, which
will never disclose, for the reason that | woulc
conserve the peace between fhc North and tht
South, and tell nothing which would unncccs
sarily agitate and distract either section. 1t i!
sufficient for me that the General Assembly
has thus far sustained my course, and that
have not been arraigncd for any alleged wron:
by the people whose safety it was my duty tt
protect.
As You are celebrating on the raid of John
Brown, it may not become me to put in any
defence OF my conduct in calling out the mill
tary force ofthe State, and | should have nothing
to say on that subject, if a helper Of Helper
(aughter) had not aTraigned Inc before tht
public. All | have to say is, that it is we'll 70,
him that | am not now Governor, and do no
now WELD the sword ofNirginia. TChccrs ant
laughter.
So far as | am personally concerned, TIT
rawlings Of Black Republicans, and of those whr
would clothc these wolves with Sleeps cloth
ing, for the sake ofthe power, place and plum
der" which they may have TO bcstow, pass m
by as the idle winds. But as Governor Of thi
Commonwealth, | had duties to perform fu
beyond the scope Of my personal vindication
When Commandcr-in in. Chief of the militia, ant
the militia were called out to repcl invasion
and suppress insurrectiOn, I ordered the Blacl
Horse Of Fauquicr to scour from our mountai,
passes the Black Republicans Of the Under
Wood order. And it is well for him who ha!
lately published more inccndiary matter than
Helpers book, that l AIN not still COMMANDMENT
Chief, and that the troops Of :Ashby and Of Scott
are not still on tho scout, or they might be or
dered to scour this metropolis Of a worse traitor
to this Commonwealth than Underwood ever
proved to be.
Were l governor Of Virginia to-day | woulc
have the constitutional right and power tt