The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-06
GOVERNOR SPEAKS
BEFORE S, ?. c. A.
Annual Meeting Of the Society
He'd Last Night.
ADDRESS BY Mr.. PATTES0N
Officers Elected and Splendid Report
Submitted by President Bossieux.
Polk Miller Enntertains the
Audience.
ADDRESS BY Mr.. PATTES0N

The Richmond Society for the Proven
ton of Cruelty to Animals held its an
nnal meeting in the auditorium of the
Virginia Mechanics Institute last night.
The occasion was made one of unusual
interest by speeches from Governor
Montague Hon. S. S. P. Patteson and
various attractions by Mr.. Polk Miller
and his quartet-e of negroes.
Besides these entertaining features
there was much business transacted. in
Guiding the reading Of reports and the
annual election of officers. There was
a large attsn[lance thr majority Of the
audience being members of the society.
Captain Cyrus Bossieux president Of
the society presided. While Captain a.
c. Guigon introduced the speakers.
The meeting was opened with prayer
by Rev w E. Evans, of Monumental
Epi"copal Cnurcn.
Governor NJ ,ntague in his brief address
spoke of mans dominion over the beasts
Of the field and how with justice. mercy
and intelligence it should be exercised.
No 30 much. he said. did such a society
az the S. P. c. a. benefit the animals as
it did the people interested in their pro-
lection.
You educating our people" said
Governor Montague. Ito extend mercy
and kindness. and men. stirred by such
matters. are Infinitely benefited. / want
to show that such work is not SO much
for the horse or dog. but it is for the
uplifting Of the children Of men. The
man that practices any form OF wrong
or cruelty does himself unspeakable in
justice
The Governor here asked pardon for
personal ailusion. and stated that in all
his boyhoo1 he had never robbed a birds
nest and that he had always looked upon
the boy who did with disapproval and
disgust. He spoke of the S. P. c.. a. work
as a great moral influence working in
mankind. and one that. like all great
moral movements, would win out in the
end by it's inherent and subtle power.
His address was brief. and with COM
plment for the local organization he
closed.
Mr. Polk Miller followed Governor Mon
tague with good story and song OF
the old Southern negro.
Mr.. PATTESON SPEAKS.
Hon. S. S. P. Patteson made the address
Of the evening. treating the subject of
cruelty to animals from a legal stand
point. Is well as. reviewing the history
OF the movement for its prevention. Mr..
Patteson said in part:
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen OF
the Richmond Society for, the Proven
ton OF Cruelty to Animals:
The impression that the prevention Of
cruelty to animals is. as q conception OF
the State. a pure product, of the ni11e-
It had its beginning at a much earlier
period Many eminent men had pointed
out the truth that cruelty to animals in
dicates and promotes habit OF mind
on the other hand an affectionate ana
merciful disposition to them commonly
implies a gentle and aniable nature
For DO oug shee not op vd goodS
which we throw away when they. are
worn out with use; and were it only to
learn benevolence to mankind, We should
habituate ourselves to tenderness and
compassion in these lower Instances. For
my own part l would never sell an OK
grown old in my service; much less
servant for little money and expel
him as it were from his country by turn
ing him out OF my house and forcing
him from his usual place. OF abode and
that he would be as useless to the per-
son that bought him as he was to mo
that sold him. Cato. however, seems to
boast Of his having left behind him IN
Spain the horse that he rode when he
commanded there that he might not put
the public to the charge OF carrying him
from thence to Italy: But. says the gen
tie Plutarch whether such things as
these are TO be ascribed TO grea tness
Or meanness Of soul is left to. the readers
judgment to decide.
It may be said broadly that under the
common law of England acts of cruelty
to animals were indictable only when
they worked an injury TO the owner pE
diminishing or destroying the value OF
so as to constitute nuisance. Little
by little however. the sympathy OF the
Englisn-sr Speaking world turned towards
their dumb friends.
While the whole civilized world now
agrees that cruelty TO animals should
be punished by law. the courts are some
times greatly troubled in determining
what is cruelty.
The Virginia statute OH the subject
passed in 1894, expressly permits docking
9th o-ses tails and dehor1ling of cattle
which provides that cattle shall not
while being transported on railroads. be
confined for longer consecutive period
than twenty-eight hours without unload
ing for rest water and feeding the rest
TO be for g. period Of at least five con-
secutiye hours.
VS. u pn s5Ip. Is Is No. 500, had to decide
whether or not tying an article to
,oorsc's tail was cruelty under the stat
ute Of that State State. The judge very as as
from tying g brush or board to the tail
of horse different effects may follow
from the circumstances ACCOMPANYING the
act rs well as from the manner and place
nature and qualities Of the animal
"A fiery, high-mettled and Wild horse
may kill himself in order to escape the
troublesome and frightful apperdsse to
his tail A gentle. faithful old farm
horse with more hard sense than the
lelschieyous lad who sought 10 frishten
him, may not mind the brush or board.
but may carry it TO his owner to have it
taken OFF without suffering or fatigue
Suppose the tying had been done in a
stable SO that the animals could not
have had room to run and hurt them
selves, this could not have been the tor
ture provided for in our statute.
a great many more cases of like
character might he cited in the matter
of cruelty to animals. but these are suf-
iicient to show some of the difficulties
with which the courts have had to con-
tend.