Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-01-12
GOYernOr'S Message,

Governors Message.
G.s.7cnien IF The Senate and HoaSs ct Leisgdf.$.
| commence my term as Chief MngiS-
trate Of the Commonwealth of Virginia al
an important and evcntful period in the
history of The State and Of the Union. No
one Of my predecessors has taken upon
himself the duties and responsibilities OF
the Office under the same circumstances
The Legislature and the people expect
from me, therefore, an expression OF m
views upon the absorbing question of the
day, and some suggestions looking to the
future.
The Constitution of the United States,
as ordained and established by our fathers,
was designed "to form more perfect
union. establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, pr"mote the general welfare.
and secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity.' They construed
it with reference to these desirable objects,
and, as might have been expected, union,
harmony and brotherhood existed between
TIE different scctions-!aw and order pre-
yailcd-justicc and right V wcre respected
the rights of persons and property were
fully rec6gniscd-and each State WAS per-
mitted to regulate its domestic institutions
without interference from citizens of the
other States. Confidence and fratGrnnl af-
fecfiou existed between the people of all
I'll. States in those earlier and better days
OF The Republic.
Til, happy condition Of things. contin-
ucd Tor many years. and was interrupted,
only hv the interference Of citizens Of the
Northern States. with the fights and insti-
tutious OF the Southern. But fer the wa-
which has been so pcrseveriugly wagcl
against the institution of domestic sla-
Very. as it exists amongst US, an institution
with which they have no right to inter-
mcddlc. We would have continued to live
traternal feeling and affection would be as
strong now as ever before, in the history
of the Confedcracy. This wanton inter
ference thus commenced, and so offensive
" persisted in, has produced the present
alarming crisis. and las brought the Union
of the States to the verge of destruction.
The Northern people now insist that
there must be no more slave territory, no
more slave States. and that the Fugitive
Slave Law, must be repealed. or SO essen
italy modified. as to render it valucless
for the recovery of slave property. In
Massachusetts, Wisconsin. Vermont and
perhaps other non-slaveholding States,
the Fugitive Slave .Ac; has been practical
IL and cdectually nullifed and rendered
imperative.
The Massachusetts act declares that the
writ of habcns. corpus may be issued by
either their Courts, and even by ''any JUS
ticc of the peace, in term time or vacation,
and upon the nature of such writs. the
fugitive slave may demand trial by jury,
aud if the jury shall disagree, the issue
may be submitted to another jury, or CON
timed to the next term, at the discretion
of the Court; that no confessions. adulis-
sions or declarations of the alleged fUgi
tive against himself shall be given in evil
dence upon the trial: that the Governor by
and with the advice and consent of the
Council shall appoint commissioners i'll
each county to defend fugitivcs, who are
to pay all witnesses expenses. clerks fees,
officers fees and other expenses, and they
are TO have these, and all reasonable
charges for their services IS attorney and
counsel in the case; paid by the State
Treasurer: and the act also prohibits their
iails. prisons, or other places of confinc-
mcnt. from being used for the imprisOn-
ment OF persons claimed as fugitive slaves.
I TSee Session Acts, 1855, page 924. The
act of Wisconsin is even moro stringent in
its provisions for the protection of fugitive
slaves than the act of Massachusetts
/ See revised Statutes 1S58.page 9I2.
/ The act of Vermont declares that no per-
son within the State shall he considered as
property, or subject rs such to sale, pur-
chase or delivery; that the fugitive slave
may have the benefit eta trial hy jury-tliat
every person who May have been held as q
slave, who shall come, Orbe brought. or bc
in the State, with or without the consent
of his or her master o: mistress, or who
shall come, or be brought, or be involun-
tarily, or in any way, in the State, shall be
free; and denOunces against every person
who shall hold the fugitive as a slave. the
penalty of Imprisonment for not less than
one nor more than fifteen years. and Il fine
not exceeding two thousand dollars. See
Session Acts 1888. page A.. In other Of
the non-savcholdin% States, tif | am not
miStakcn.) similar legislation has been en-
I ployed 10 defeat the execution of the law,
within their limits. They maintain the
doctrine of an irrepressihle conflict be-
/ tween free and slave labor. which, under
/ their teachings, has produced its first fruits
| in the shedding of Virginia blood, upon
our own soil. The friends of this kind OF
: legislation, and the supporters of these
{ miSchicvous doctrines. WELD the Executive.
Legislative and Judicial authority of the
non-slnveholding States, with scarce nn
exception In the Senate of the United
States the Republican party numbers up
wards of twenty and in the House of Rep
resentativcs more than one hundred. all
elected by the votes of uOu-Slaveholding
States. and all endorsing aud approving
these obnoxious doctrines and measures.
/ 4 few years ago this party was very small
in each branch of Congress. and we were
assured that they represented Il compara-
lively small number of fanatics, with whom
the great body of the Northern people had
no sympathy, and who entertained no priu-
ciples and doctrines in common with them
on these questions.