Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-02
Emphasizes His Recommendations on
LynChins and Other Subjects.
MUST CARE FOR THE vErBRAss.
Appropriations for Pensions ana
Soldiers Home should he In
creased, Even IL Those TO schools
Have TO he cut-Favors an EmbIem
Baiiot-Oystcr Legislation. 81

| his longest, making with certain corre-
spondence and appendices submitted
Herewith, about 25D0 words The paper
Is the usual rule. was laid on the table
and ordered to be printed.
The Governor takes a cheerful view OF
the condition of affairs In Virginia. He
begins with the gratifying assurance that
the health of the State has been good. no
epidemic having increased our usual low
mortality rate; says the crops the past
year have been abundant; the depression
of a year ago has. In great measure.
passed away, and the farmer looks for
ward to an era OF thrift and prosperity.
and asserts that our industrial enterprises
have been quickened. and many that were
dormant twelve months ago have awaksn-
ed and are now giving employment to
thousands who were idle. 'In every di-
rection," he says. "vigor is returning and
activity is seem" He dwells at some
length on Virginia's superior advantages,
andNsays:
Il earnestly recommend that your hon.
orable bodies will inaugurate a system
for advancing virginia's interest i'm the
way of attracting immigration and capt.
tai to her. Every legitimate method OF
advertising the actual resources and pos
sibilities of Virginia should be adopted,
so that advantage can be taken OF exist
ing favorable conditions"
PRESERVATION OF LAW.
The Governor continues: The law has
been generally maintained throughout The
Commonwealth. There have only been
three occasions OF open and violent deh-
ance of law during my administrations
all of them since the last session OF the
General Assembly. Three men have suf-
fered death at the hands of lynchers--ons
I'm Essex county. one I'm Patrick county,
and one In the city OF Alexandria. So
far as l have been able TO learn, after
careful investigation. no blame attaches
TO the law officers of either the county
Of Essex or Patrick for the acts of the
mob. In the city of Alexandria, I regret
to say that, in my opinion, there was
dereliction OF duty somewhere. That city
has the largest military company in the
State. man was arrested, charged with
n vile felony. He was committed 10 tho
station-house. where several policemen
were on duty. The excitement became
Intense and q crowd assembled at the
station-house In a threatening manner.
Later another crowd gathered, broke into
the station-house, seized the policemen in
charge, battered down the door of the
cell in which the prisoner was confined,
took him out and hung him 10 n lamp
post on the street. The Mayor, though
clothed with the power to summon the
company TO aid the civil author.
tiles, issued no order and took no step
TO protect the prisoner. Notwithstanding
the excited condition OF the city, OF which
he had full notice. There may be no
doubt the prisoner was guilty of most
heinous crime, committed under the most
diabolical circumstances, and deserved
DEATH but he was in the custody ofsthe
law officers, safely confined, and yet q.
mob was permitted In a city OF 1900 pop
ulation, with a strong military force at
the command OF the Mayor, TO bid def
lnce to the law and trampIe down tire
of the Commonwealth. There
,an be no possible excuse offered for tho
success of the mob But while Lam NOR
lfed that mobocracy should have prevail
ID in the instances named, am gratified
% be able to say that the spirit which.
rom the lst day OF January. 1880. To
he lst day of January, 1884. had taken
he lives of sixty-one persons in the State.
has been so far restrained as to reduce
he number of lynchings during my ad-
which is now closing, TO
hree, and question whether any State
n the Union has a better record for the
asst four years than Virginia.
NEED LAWS AGAINST LYNCHIN0.
OF course. as is well known. there were
xyh hsa ixyaa nf Y.rfa
ners were no doubt saved from mob
iolence by the free use OF the military
allied out In aid OF the civil authorities.
sincerely trust that the administration
( my worthy successor will be even
learer than mine OF this blot on our
iyillzation Lynchings cannot be too
everely reprobated. No argument can
xcuse them; no circumstance can justify
hem I'm Virginia. We have ample laws
nd adequate penalties for all crimes. We
ave courts that will try, without unne-
assary delay, and juries that will con-
let in all proper cases. THE mob Is
IAN, voluntarily descending TO the nature
T the beast. It's nj hour OF activity Is
ight; its actions are insane, like -
hole constitution"
But the spirit of lynchlng will never 10
lilly eradicated in any State until there
; to be enforceable; and then behind the
W stands a warm. living, sustaining
Ibllc sentiment; and this sentiment will
ever assert itself until the people fully
,alize that where law ends, tyranny
gins" and the public press no longer
tiers to the spirit and condones the
ime OF lynching. as some OF the papers
Virginia. be Il said TO their shame.
I'VE done recently. These papers per-
stently assert that the iynchings have
en almost exclusively for criminal as
ults, or attempted assaults. or for "ths
'ual crime" as they term it, which IN
r from being correct OF the sixty~fou
en- who have suffered death by the hall
r without due process of law In tho
st eighteen years in Virginia, only sif-
en- were charged with criminal ASSAULT.
ID only eleven with attempted criminal
sault. / append hereto table showing
c number OF lynchings In each year,
"a the crimes charged. This table IL
thentic. and Is prepared from the re-
rts OF the clerks OF the courts or tho
rious counties aud cities from 1850 10
a, and from direct information In the
ecutiye office since.
L has not been pleasant for me TO lay
ese facts before you. but to fully appre-
lte the extent of an evil you must know
and being assured that you have vir-
mas fair name as much at heart as I
We, In the discharge OF my duty. have
ncealed nothing.
The Governor appeals 10 the Legista-
re TO exercise It's power In maktnx
expensive TO the communities IA
lich they occur that In future tno
tie will be able to set an example that
Il enable her 10 fully regain whatever