The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-02

Y. .dltion Of the Commonwealth, and to
& make such recommendations as seem
meet and proper leaving them in your
4 ands for, ouch action az your superior
wisdom and Judgment may dictate. The
health OF the State, he asserts, has been
good, no epidemic has increased our
usual low mortality rate. We have had
addatdonal reason to rejoice and be
thankful that the lines have fallen to us
\ In q CLINE. free from miasma or pois-
onous exhalations, with eauable tenn
perature and balmy and inrigorating
. breezes.
The crops OF the past year have been
D labund3nt. Our friendly aol has res
ponded kindly to the hand of the tille-
h and the products of his labor have
As Drought him remuncTative prices. Our
industrial enterprises nave been quick
& ened, and many that were dormant
Z twelve months ago have awakened. and
y are now giving employment to thou
sands who were idle. In every direction
Vigor Is returning, and activity is seen
Confidence IS ban!shing dependency and
brightness is driving out gloom.
I NO state possesses superior advanta-
5 ges to Virginia. She has boundlcsa min
eTal wealth. himbers and stones of all
Kinds, lands naturally unsurpassed In
Z richness and fertility, capable of produc-
ms luxuriantlS, all the cereals and
grasses, adapted to the profitable cuiti-
Walton and growth Of almost every veg
I etable and fruit known TO the agricuI-
tural and horticultural kingdoms
Il mighty navigable streams and s,ne.b
water powers. She has no winter bliz-
4 yards and no blasting summer winds
I We have in the past .boasted OF the In
y 4ducements She offers to immigra ton
land .caphtal. 1t Is our duty now, with
= pride. in our State. and hearts full of
for the blessings we enjoy
TO present her advantages af they arc,
and Invite the honest and energetic of
5 less favored sections TO come and aid
us In developing her vast resources and
{ cultivattng her fertile fields, rcap!nc
for themselves benefits, and adding to
her wealth.
! PRESERVATION OF LAW--LYNCII-
INGS.
gr The Governor asserts that the law has
Z been generally maintlined throughout
s The Commonwealth. There have only
+ been three occasions of open and v.".S1r
deilance of law during my admiti0StraT !
stion. Three men have suffered dea n
at the hands of lynchcrs-one in Essex
county, one in Patrick county, and one
I'm the city of Alexandria. So far as |
have been able to learn after careful in
E'esugation, no blame attaches TO the
law officers either in the county of IcS-
& seSsor Patrick fcr the acts of the mob.
In the city Of = leNandria, | rcsret 20
say, that, in my opinion. there was dere-
2 l1ot.on$of duty &'omewhcge That city
has the largest military company in
the State. y man was arrested charged
with vile felony. He was committed
Ito the statson-hcuse where several no
! 49icemen were on duty. The excitement
Z became intense, and n crowd assembled
Z ut the station-house in Il thrcatcnln.
manner. Latter anNther crowd gathered
Gb:oke ino the station house seized the
4 Policemen an charge, battered down the
door Of the cell in which the prisoner
was confined, took him out and hung
& MIN to lamD-post on the street 1.-THE
( mayor, though clothed with the power 10
summon the military company tnia!d the
civil authorities, issued no order and
took no step to protect the prisoner
I, notwithstanding the EXCITED condition
&of the city, of which he had. full notice
There may be no doubt the prisoner
was guilty of 4 most heinous crime
4 committed under the most dinbolical
circumstances, and deserved Gfe8th, but
: he was in the custody Of the law;officers
safely confined. and yet a mob was per-
united In city of $4,000 population, With
astrong military force nj the command
VI eie iiidyoi, 10 bid uci1ancs to the
Law and .trample down the authority Of
y the etCommonwealth There canrbe no
possible excuse offered for the success
{ Of the mob ..,.,'G
15Sf lie earnestly invokes tho, exercise of
legislative power in making lynching
$50 dangerous to the participants. and
expensive to the communities IN which
e tthey occur, that in future our STATE
VIII be able 20 set an example that will
enable her to fully regain whatever pres
z tfge che may have lost as State of law
and order. He repeats the recommends
tiorSshe made in his last message. viz:
ssSsnmenqsthe passage of an act re-
qnR =. every county or city TO pay into
the.treasury ofStNe State. for the benefit
OF the public free school fund. .he sum
OF 5000 for each thousand of It's popula-
tton, not exceeding $4,000 for every
lynching which may occur within It's
limits. the same to be provided for in its
next annual levy.
lfurther recommend that the expense
OF the military. If called ont by the
sheriff. of any county. or the mayor of
any city. to protect prisoner threat
encd with violence, shall be refunded
TO the State by said county or city out
of It's next annual levy.
THE VOLUNTEER MILITIA
He reports that the volunteer militia
OF the State is In n very eilcien. condi-
tion, notwithstanding the ve:y meagre
support 1t receives. it speaks well for
S the patriotism OF the young men OF The
II 3 q lacy keep the ranks of the
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