The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-12-15

EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS,
eEss lir Richmond, June %, 1870.
The Honorable the Secretary of War, Wash
ington, D. c.:
have received this morning the follow
igg kilograms:
eft MONROE, VA, June q, 1870.
To his Excellency, G. c. Walker, Governor of
xLE Virginia: 1o'a 7-
In obedience to a telcsraphc order from
the honorable, the Secretary Of War, have
- this-day recalled the detachment of troops /
sent by me to the Taylor farm to protect
8, the sheriff OF Norfolk county.
WILLIAM r BARRY" |
| have cause to believe that this with !
:. drawal Of the aid of the military forces OF
the United States will render the execution
of the process of the courts much more dit /
ficult, and will tend to bloodshed, for reas
sons heretofore forwarded to the President.
4s-' Please advise me why the late order from
your department, and the order Of the de-
2 partment commander, have been modified
8 or rcscinded? Whether the aid Of the Unit
g cd States forces can be restored to the sher
ss if? If SO, please cause it to be done at
-asonce.
81 An immediate answer by telegram is re-
SeSS'
49,. sn G.. G WALKER,
Governor of Virginia"
,s. To this despatch Ireceived, thc next day,
the following reply:
"WAsHINGToN, June %, 1870.
To his Excellency Governor G. c. Walker:
Your despatch Of this date has been sub
mitted to the President, and | am directed
by the Secretary of War to say that the or
der withdrawing the troops will be adhered
to. y'' -'n4
T. D. TOWNSEND,
Adiutant General
No explanation whatever Of this extraor-
binary transaction has ever been vouchsated
to me. The failure to respond to my re-
spectful inquiry for the causes Of this action,
and the silence upon that subject which hss
ever since been maintained, clearly demon
stratc that it was without justification, pal
sliation or excuse / feel bound to say that,
in view of all the circumstances, the sudden
withdrawal of these troops while IN the
midst Of the performance of the delicate
duty to which they had been assigned, in
accordance with an order from the Presl-
dent himself, without any notification to or
COS consultation with me, eudangerlng, as 1t
a., did, the lives of our officers and citizens,
q and the peace OF the community, was, in my
opinion, an act of official dlscourtesy, and a
manifestation of Indifference to possible con
sequences of the gravest character, without
parallel ir the history of the country. 1t
the original order for the assignment OF
Federal troops to this duty were right then
its revocation under the circumstances, was
an nexcusabe wrong. Fortunately, the
sheriff of Norfolk county was gentleman
of nerve and discretion who, with a posse
of citizens, under my direction, went for
ward to the completion of his duty, and sue
ceeded in removing the remainder of the
illegal occupants of Taylor's farm without
loss of life.
Two plantations in York county are in
the same condition as Taylor's farm prior to
y the removal of its bureau occupants. The
sheriff of the county, and the propretors Of
the plantations, have applied to me 1ol as
sistaucc to execute the process of the courts
The sheriff is of opinion, and, [ doubt not
correctly, that any posse he could summon
in the county would be insufficient and un-
avaiing. A military force is required but
until you authorize the organization OF one
| am powerlcss to render him the required
aid. | cannot consent to subject the Com
monwealth or myself to the danger of any
further indignity by requesting the aid o.
- federal troops. Although protection
= "against domestic violence is one of The
rs guarantees of the constitution of the United
,s States to the several States, son application
of the Legislature or Executive (when the
Legislature cannot be convened y and al
though the acts OF Congress passed, In pur
suance thereof devove upon the President
the duty of executing this guaranty when
the necessity is made known tohim through
the Legislature or Executive of State, ye
the lessons taught by our recent experience
admonish us that constitutional guarantees
and statutory mandates are of little avail
when partisan zeal usurps the place and
functions of official integrity.
-='' We must rely in the future solely upor
ourselves for the maintainance of order ano
s4 the enforcement of the laws and have nc
Is fears Of our ability in that behalf. But 3
thorough organization Of our militia is mos
essential. we shall then be prepared fol
any and every cxigency, whenever anc
wherever it may arise. III .'-nt9F7 +
BOUNDARY LINES.
BY joint resolution approved June 27st
last, the Governor was requested to apply tt
the proper officer of the United States Gov
ernmeut for the assignment of a competent
80 corps Of surveyors to the duty of ascertain
nv ing and locating the true boundary lines be
tween the State of Virginia and the State Of
So Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee
and authorizing him to appoint two commits
sioners on the part of the State, ewhose du
ty it shall be to meet, confer and act with
such corps of surveyors, and like commits
sioners on behalf Of other States" Before
IS action had been taken under this resolution.
.s controversy arose between our oyster po
81, lice and certain citizens Of Maryland as to
the right of the latter to oyster in waters
south Of a certain conventional line hereto
fore established by the mutual agreement
Of the oyster police of the two States, and
known as the Davidson Lovits line. This
.se controversy has been satisfactorily settled
by mutual agreement between the Gov
errors Of the two States to observe and
maintain this conventional line until the
ss real boundary line between the two States
At can be asccrtained and finally settled. His
sExcellency the Governor of Maryland has
informed me of the appointment by his
i,