Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-01-05

10 give verdict against The marriage, unoe' ~
instructions of the Cour, alleging that II "ou'u -
in his opno violation Of his oath. by Gun,
sent he was Withdrawn, and verdict iep'e'>n
by The other II, seven Of whom s'ateu '"a' Wv
were in favor of establishing the marriage De-
tween Mrs. Conner, the plaintiff, ana Inc ia'e
General Van Ness.
From the following card published IN '"e
Washington papers, ii will be seen 'ia' INT 'one
aoopy"is mol Vet over, ant that The case may o'
as nrotcacted as the siege OF Troy, wherein ID
DIV OF fenown was also interested:
A CARD.-As counsel OF Mary A. van vs. -,
in the case inst ried and decided aeaihs' NJ, -
the associate Judges Of the CIRCUIT coui . y, -
District, we feel II to be our proiesslona' aa
his public way 10 state that IL IS her ue'e
ION under our advice to prosecute an appear lioni
this decision 10 The Supreme Courl.
We do This that all persons whom II may eun,
Germ NAV no, suppose her SUIT 10 DC enueu " -
claims abandoned. . rd have tho
We believe that her cause is just ana nave 'he
satisfaction to know that MAJORITY ol Tue Ju'ois
sworn in The case are of the same opinion.
|, must, therefore, finally prevail against every
obstacle judicial or otherwise.
Happiiy Tor the rights Of our client, she IS mol
quite irendIess; and The doors of The highest Judi
cial tribunal in The land are open 10 her, where
her claim will be fairly and impar,ially heard and
considered, and the wrongs she has suffered be ful-
" redressed. To this tribunal, and this result
We look with every confidence.
Il is a source Of regrert that The associate ludS
es who trisd this issue should have signed
sealed, and enrolled an exception after the PLAIN
,if's evidence in chief was closed stating ina
she had "sivcn evidence by various facts anc
circumstances tending 10 prove that sts 'ras law
fully married 10 the defendants nlestate, John T
Van Ness at Philadelphia, in the Stale Of Penn
sylvanla, on the 9th day OF August, le4o insieat
of then stating, as they did alter all the evidence
was closed, in the form Of an instruction e
the jury, that, "upon The whole evidence
aforesaid, if The same shal be believed nv TIT
Jury 10 he true, there iSno er,dcnce from which M
lury can find hat the said petitioner (pIainIiD wa
| lawfully married 10 the said John 7. Van Ness Il
his life time" &c. BY this course nearly on
months waste OF time and labor would have beel
saved, as well as an enormous and ruinou
amount of costs both 10 The United States an
the plaintiff, upon whom they are cast-to sa
nothing OF character, as well oil the parties as
witnesses, that would in this way have been pre-
tecied from unnecessary and painful animadve'
sion.
The court Withdrew the facts from the jury
and decided rhem By this unprecedented ac', IN
associate Judges have, in our opinion, oversleI
ped all legal and constitutional boundaries, an
usurped The powers OF the jury.
Along with this statement, il is a pleasing pa
of our duly 10 submit the following cerifcal'
i'll vindication OF the character OF the three prir
cipa witnesses for The peili'i0er, (a other ,neaf
Ut indicating them having been denied BY III
couu,) against whom the harshesl denuncIaIicn
and most sweeping accusations were launche
during the trial
BRENT & MAY.
Washington City, Dec. 81, 1876.
Here follows voluntary certificate oil u
eleven Jurors that here was nothing in The lesl
mony 10 impeach The cfcdbilily OF Miss seren
Conner, Of Miss Virginia Fowler, OF Miss kliz;
beth Fowler, or 10 mpieatc either OF them
any charge ol fraud, conspiracy, forgery or peJ'
rs; or any other charge in any degree inlnriot
10 their regulations az truthful, upright virluot
and religious persons.
Taken in all its aspects, The case Is one oil III
most unioue on record.