, 1870-03-31
VIRGINIA.

Mc~xtEc from the d:oycsnor-3.ae
Nnyornlty Difficulty In lklC2tinonts, ,
and Isekt*t:anre to Civil Authority
In Scnkonrd Counties.
F]ora III. Richmond ts'a.> Hhig. Msrth -
Tho following communication from His Ex-
ccllency Governor Walker MAS received yester-
day in tie House of Delegates:
COMMONWEALTH OF TInOISrA,l
EAECyI1yE DEPARTNESr,
kcuMoSn. March "a. 1870
ft7tit1mf7a Of t.e Illus. If lkAyates:
III response to tho resolution Of your honor
able :,cdy, adopted on the cd instant, That
the Governor be requested to furnish this
scIf antl Tie Commanding General Of the De
paztment Of Tisgiuia, relAtiye to the iuterfcr-
cnce Of the United States military forces i'll the
civil Affairs Of the city ct Richmond, and that
ho be further requested to inform the House
whether OF not there is. or wns, any necessity
for calling for assistance from the United
States forces in this or any othar case" l have
tho hoGor to iuclosc herewith copics of the cor
respondcncc referred to, and to state that in
my opinion there is not and was not . any ne
cesslsy Tor assistance from the United states
forres in this case" The lawfully Goa.
htit,,ted municipal authorities Of tho city OF
Richmond we're confident OF their ability to
preserve tho public peace and enforce the Law
without calling upon the State authorities far
nssistancc, and the result SHOWS that such con-
Gdcnce was well founded.
Az to whether there is any necessity for call
irg forassissance from the United States forces
..in any other case Iwould say that have
information Of Resistance to the enforcement
of legal process from the civil courts in three
instances, viz. one in Norfolk County, another
III Elizabeth City County. and ! third in York
County. Each of the cssc- na1 its origin in
canscs existing p1icr to tic organization u the
r1efent State tiuyefnnlent. As.A oHsht TO have
been disposed Of p1inr to thai time, and each
il alike in lis history and present etatus, e1-
cert that the one in York County, I am inSorr,-
cd, il in process of An.ieaele adjustment
through the kindly ard jut1icious Offices of To.
During tho late rar, by authority Of the
Fseedmen'n Bureau, or other Federal authoi-
ty. colored people were settlcd and have ever
since continued 10 rcetab upon n plantation
Known AZ ''Ta.lor's Farm, in Norfolk County,
and upon plantation known III ''Ceiey
the functions Of the Frcein,ens Hnrcsu
ceased, these people we're lett in Possession Of
tllese properties, supporting. as they claim,
and, no doubt, honestly, III lleir iSnorsace Of
yht md l" TIN, t6sy ,hs h,' a,tboff, Sn,
by Which they had tecn put in possession,
and they were mt disabuscd Of this
idea, as thcy ought to have been, by these
authorities. Several unsuccessful attcmIttt
were made to reaceably remove these people
hu1 ree1oTe Inc fosSea<iOA OF fne properly "
tho rightful oNut1s. Finally, ejectlnent euite
we're Instituted in tI,a .iyi! courts, and judg.
m1nts recovered, prior 10 IAe restoration q
the State to approximation il. Congress IL
January last, but, for carrcs to me ,l1lk1,oxus
w7its cf Possession we're not executed, anil ~
attempt lately made to cxecuta such waits "
the Sheriff Of Elizabeth City County was sne'
with armed rr>is, anee by the .s,inrta people
These occupants declare that they were put it
Possession Of thi4 property ''y the Lisise>
tates, aud that they viii Yield l,asas,rioi' ont.
10 tie United f:ates Government, or W II
authority.
] am inclined 10 believe, from information
have received, that any attempt to enforce th
wits Of the oouIta by Stale fatcea might r.
eult IN bloodehcd. but ! ha1c no doubt tbs
The officers II the law will have no difficulty i
re1for1uiug their dusy, nn1 will avoid b!osi
| ehed, it = small force Of United States troop
| be placed..s their disposal. In vlew Of thes
facts, it spuia appear 10 NC desirable that tt
! General Assembly should, in tue mode PR
| ecribed bv The constitution and laws Ut Il,
| Tinted ytase@, AK for such military for:s .
| will tr..nie tht sheEiHs of the counties name
| to execute tho legal process Of the courts
thesa cases. Respectfully,
! GlLNEnT c. WAGsER-