Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-29

TO tie Editors of the Richmond Enquirer !:
GoocHLAND G. H March IL.
GENfLRMEN: The special court for the tria
of Joshua B. Currier, charged with the murder
of Royal W. Blackburn, in Fluvanna, Judge
Field presiding0 has just closed, after . term
of ten days.
The case excited unusual interest. The
prisoner was tried twelve months ago and son
fenced to be hung; but new trial was grant.
ed by the court of appeals. The cause was
most ably and Interestingly discussed. Tho
opening speech was made by Richard L.
Cooke, of Fluvanna, employed by the friends
of the dead man. 1t was one of great power
and elOquence, exceeding the best efforts of
this gifted individual. he was replied to in o
six hours speech by E Il Watson, Of Char
lottesvile, in one of the clearest, most lumin
GUS arguments, based on the facts and the law
Of the case, ever listened to. John s. Flem-
ming followed in an hour and half or two
hours, often In bis happiest vein-then Thos
lnvulnerable argument of some two hours and
half. The defence was closed by Henry
Magruder of Albemarle, who for four or g i've
hours enchained attention by speech, which,
for legal research, rich, poetic, and classic al.
fusion, polished sarcasm, and deep pathoe, I
have never heard surpassed. When he con.
cluded, the jury, bar, and bystanders, includ.
ing large number of ladies, were nearly all
in tears.
Mr.. Leake, the attorney for the Common
wealth. closed for tho prosecution in a sreeoh
OF some eight hours, marked by the highest
ability, ingenuity and address.
Inc jury, after retiring about an hour, rem
dered verdict Of not guilty. CP
The foregoing is from late number of the
Richmond Enquirer. As We presume it was
written and published to expand the fame of
tho distinguished Juvenile attorneys at.law of
Gooohland court house, Va, therein mentioned
We trust our cOmplaisance, evinced BY giving
1t place in our columns, will be properly sp
preoiated by the parties. We send Meurs.
Cooke, Watson, Fleming, Tutwiler, Magrudsr,
and Leake, zach, this number of tho Star. If
they are not verdant every one of them will
order it continued for the entire year. We
have little doubt that all of those Young
Goochland county lawyers are exceedingly
promising, DO, and will in time, and with op-
portunity and good luck, become very d istin
guished men, DO. But We would respectfully
suggest to their panegerist &C. P" that
ne might as we'll have omitted the account of
the time consumed by each in their speeches.
Generally, it is In oratory as it Is in horse.
racing" Tho slo,0 horses do actually take tho
longest time" The idea of some " five or ak
hours !"-then "six hours" moro .-then "one
and half or two hours n'-then two and
half hours then "four or five hours !"-and
winding up with "eight hours :" (oh, gracious
me Dis really terrific! Twenty.seven NOR.
tai hours of specchifying in ono stretch, in
single cause, in this year of our Lord 1855. at
Goochland coust-house, Virginia. "Grsa.n
as may hays been /" the power and eloq uence"
OF tho gifted individuals who did the afore.
said spouting''-" clear and luminous" az NAV
have been their arguments" on both sides
"happy" as may have been the vein" of the
orators" compact" (mark y " compact and
invulnerable" (all Of it, of course) as their
reasoning was" enchanted" as the "iury,
bar, and bystanders, including q largo mum.
Der of ladies" (Which G. P. records) wore BY
the vast "legal research" erich, poetic,''
and "classic allusion, "polishsd sarcasm
" ability" ingenuity" and address," and
the like-we must say that to an outsider the
idea spontaneously suggests itself that twenty.
seven hourS continuous spouting ia Httis too
long. On this point Of brevity We might refer
to Shakespeare and dozens Of other authorities
of note, but We content ourselves by quoting
from the famous old Chickasaw orators
{" VOLTS Friend's') speech 70 Gov. Blount, in
August, 1892. It was thus:
"I think that short talks ara tbc hast r
like yours the better for being 30: when a
man talks long, it is a proof his heart is not
straight"
We think this speech should be copied and
put up in Gocchland court house next t.rm
We add q description of VOLTS Friend BY
Gov. Blouns' to show that our authority i, no
mean one:
"Wolf's Friend Is great man In council
ranks among the first Of his nation; has q
considerable 3 property, is q large man, of
dignihed appearance he appeared at the
conference in scarlet and silver lace, and in