Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-03-24
Porthe Ip,enlrenSer.
Philip Doddridge as Lawyer.
From an aaPnblIshed sketch of his Life
andOharnCtor.
BY q. u CRANNeR.
BIZ 9. = ceANHeR


no man in the State Of Virginia rs an able and
learned lawyer
He indeed must have been an individual of
no ordinary calibre, who could command such
a need of praise rs this from the Jupiter Ton.
ant of the Bar.
Our present purpose is not to enter into a
general dsquisiton concerning Ills qualities aud
abilities, but rather to illustrate them in brief
manner, by reference to ono or two cases in
which he was engaged in our own city, and
(which, at the time, were the subject of general
Interest and anxiety, rendered the more so per-
haps by the peculiar circumstances attaching to
each.
The irst one to which we refer, and the only
one to which we shall refer in our present com.
lmunicatiOn, WAS that of the Commonwealth vs.
Robert j. CuttisS, for libel
i This case is rendered the more remarkable
from the fact that at the time party feeling was
running extremely high, and the jury who sat
upon the case we're equally divided in politics,
ithaving been purposely so arranged
Tue prosecuting witness in the case was one
Carter Beverly who at the time was charged as
being political enisary, whose purpose it was
thought was to effect, So far as he could by his
influence secure it. the election of Gen. Jackson
He remained in Wheeling for several months
during this excited political canvass, which has
been rendered memorable as one in which both
the friends of Jackson and Clay put forth the
most prodigious exertions to secure the election
of their favOrite Some difficulty growing out
of the excited political feeling of the day had
occurred between Beverly and Thaddens b.
Robinson, Esq, young man and practicing
Attorney ut the Wheeling bar; and spirit of
elimination and recrimiGation was INDUCED in
on both sides to a considerable extent.
/ Robinson was a gentleman of warm impulses,
and an ardent advocate of what he deemed to
be right-of fine accomplishments and great le-
gal acumen.
Both parties were brought into high state
of evaporation, and finally Robinson published
a cardin the Wheeling Gazette, which was then
edited and published by RobertJ. Curtiss, cbarg
ing Beverly with being political eniSsary for
4 Gen. jackson and seeking unjustly to tarniSh
the fair fame of Henry Clay by caumniatiOn.
Beverly at once instituted legal proceedings
against the editor of the Wheeling GGzette on
a charge of libel founded upon the publication
Eof the card above referredto.
/ In the month of August, A. D. 1927, the
Grand Jury for the County of Ohio, found
true bill against Curtiss and his trial a ne on
in the County Court in November following.
Mr.. Doddridge who had been retained by the
defendant his counsel, upon the calling Of the
case offered plea of justification of the words
published which was demurred to by the pros
ecnting attorney, Samuel Sprigg, Esq, in which
there was jOinder. The Court however suS-
tanned the demurrer.
During these prelininarics, tho crowd had
Increased to such dense mass in the Court
room that it was almost SufFocating. Numbers
too, who were denied admittance, by reason of
tue crowd which was already on the inside, re-
manned waiting upon the outside, converting eli
Their upon the probable result of the trial, or the
array of talent which appeared In the case.
After the announcement by the Court Of its
decision TO suStainthe demurrer. Mr.. Dod.
bridge turned to the jury, aud remarked,-
''Gentlemen, | am clearly Of opinion that thu
Court has decided against The spirit, if mol
against the letter Of the law, and as it will MT
Ipermit the defendant tn prove the truth Of the
libel, which he i fully prepared to do, in miti-
CATION of damages, uudtr the plea OF justiicu-
ton, we will therefore pIead-.'n0t guilty"
After the evidence on the part OF the State,
and the defence had been submitted, aud Salnu-
el Fl. Fitzhugh, Esq, who was as iStant coun>u
I for the prosecution, had closed his opening mr..
gument, Mr.. DSldridse slowly arose t. reply
Every eye was fastened upon him. In a Caim
and dignitigd, and, at the SaMe time, convincing
manner, he answered every important point in
the argument of the opposite counsel, an!lthen
in an eloquent historical review of The Law OF
/ libel, aud the changes to which it had been sub
ljected from the time of Charles the first down
to that period, he wrought chain. by the mag
nc power OF his e0quence, which he threw
4 around the attentive minds of the jurors, and
electrified the riveted attention of the vast
crowd, who had been iptently listening to the
progress Of thu case
i MS argument consumer ABOUT ono honT ana
quarter. So powerful and effective were his
remarks on this branch of the law, and so In
sinuating and successful was he in presenting
that the refusal to permit plea Of Justification
was principle which grew out of the charac-
ter of the odious Star Chamber, and would. il
recognized for any length of time, be the means
lof crushing the freedom of the press thus pre-
lscnting it in the most glaring and revolving de-
ttormity, thatthe indignant feelings OF the vast
crowd were fixed by the carnestness of his man
ner, and theenthusiasm of his language. With
tout leaving their box, the jury at once intimated
to the Court that they had made up their YER
dict