The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-07-26

in vivid colorS and exemplary punish
meut of the slanderer was demanded.
The plaintiff proved the wordsi his
witnesses were not tcross-examined and
his counsel rested, looking for the
bringing out OF the great features OF MS
case when it should fall to him to re-
spond to and overwhelm the defen-
dant's Testimony. Whenithe plaintth
rested, Mr.. Cady, with becoming graV-
ity, arose and addressed the jury Tor
half an hour, speaking OF the case as
an unfortunate difficulty between Two
neighbors, and observing that what his
client bad said was uttered In mo-
ment of passion and not deliberately
intended to injure the plaintiff; that, in
fact, it had not injured him in the least,
and though the defendant was legal
ly liable and did not pretend
to deny such liability. still the case
was a triflinR one, and should re-
ally never have been brought there
to occupythe valuable time of the court
and Jury. He then sat down. Glrdley,
in surprise, ing quired why he did not
call his witnesses and proceed In the
trial. Cady answered that the case on
the part of the defendant was closed.
GridIey was lawyer OF great tact and
ability, but this was too much even for
him. He made as good a summing-up
as the circumstances admitted, but
Cady's quiet and passive ingenuity
proved successful, for the jury were not
persuaded that the case was grave
one, and the anticipated verdict OF nun
dreds, perhaps thousands, was reduced
to six cents. Gridley often spoke OF
this occurrence, and said it was the
neatest trick ever practiced on him in
his long professional life.
MARTIN VAN BUREN.
Coming down on the upper deck of
an Albany steamer one day, party of
gentlemen, as the boat neared Kinder
hook landing, were discussing the
merits OF Mr.. Martin Van Buren,. Some
praised, others condemned him; and
while they were discussing the ques-
ton, the boat landed and, 10! Mr.. Van
Buren, himself came on board. One of
the parry had been dwelling upon his
on-committalism, and complaining
that "a plain answer TO plain question
was never yet eliCited from him."
"I'll wager champagne Tor the com; com;
pany," added he, "that one of us shall
go down to the cabin and ask Mr.. Van
Buren, the simplest question which can
be thought OF, and he will evade di-
rect answer. Yes; and I'll give him
leave, too, TO tell Mr.. Van Buren, that
there is bet depending on his reply"
This seemed fair enough. One of the
party was deputed to go down and try
the experiment. He found Mr.. Van
Buren,, whom he knew well, in the sa-
loon, and said To him:
"Mr. Van Buren,, some gentlemen on
the upper deck have been accusing you
of non-committalism, and have just
laid wager that you would not give
plain answer to the simplest question,
and they deputed me to test the fact.
Now, sir, allow me to ask you: Where
does the sun rise ?D 4@
MIR. Van Buren's brow contracted;
he hesttated moment and then said:
''The terms east and west, sir, are
conventioual; but l."
"Thatn dol" interrupted the inter-
rogator, twelve lost the bet"
GEORGE WOOD.
Probably the case in which Mr.Wood
most distinguished himself was Martin
against Waddell. in the Supreme Court
of the United States. (16 Peters U. s.
r., 367.) His argument is an exhaus-
tive and unanswernble exposition of
the law on the subject OF the right OF
the sovereign to the lands under water:
Some few years afterwards, Mr.. Wood
was retained by young attorney in
course of consultation, Mr.. Wood OBJ
served: "You will find all the law in
New Jersey case" The attorney sup
posing he referred to u leading one re-
ported in the first volume of Halsted,
asked him II that was the case he
meant.
"No, no." replied Mr.. Wood.
"Perhsps," said the attorney, "you
are thinking of the case of Martin Us.
Waddell." .-
"Yes, / mean that case; were you,
sir, in ?" HH ..I !.
Here, Wood had forgotten the title OF
the most important case he had ever
bered who were the counsel engaged.
LAWYERS FOR TALEsMEN.
Judge William Kent was presiding
in Circuit Court, and there was great
sea rcity of jurors, as well, indeed, as
of talesmen. His honor, determined
not to adjourn, pressed several lawyers
who were in attendance into the jury
bJN as talesmen, much against their
wish. A simple case on a note, in
which there was really no defence, was
to be passed upon, and should not have
occupied any time; but the lawyers
thus forced on the jury, one after the
other put question on question to the
witnesses and managed to make pecu-
liar suggestions and intimate legal
doubts, occupying the court several
hours. The Judge vowed he would
never again put lawyers on as tales
men. a-..t G2.
GoUvRRNEUR MORRIS.
Years ago toAsts were given after din
ner and during the dessert. AT the ta-
BILE of the elder President Adams,
Gouverneur Morris, then senator in
Congress from the State of New York,
was one of the invited. It was at the
time of the feud existing between the
President and General Hamilton, aris-
ing from the animadversionso of the lat
ter upon the sudden compromise OF our
differences with the French republic.
Mr.. Morris was called on by Mrs.
Adams for a toast.
MADAM" said he, 81 will give the
health of my friend Hamilton"
The lady Indignantly replied "Str,
that is n toast that Is never drank at this
table"
"Suppose, then. madame" was the
cool rejoinder, 1--WE drink it now for the
first timer"
.stMr. Norris" exclaimed the excited
hostess, "if you persist, shall invite
the ladies to withdrawn
"Perhaps, - retorted the imperturba-
BILE senator, cit is time for them to re-
tire"
The signal was given, and as the Ia
dies rose In obedience to 1t, the senator
sprang from his seat and stnmped on
his wooden leg to the door, threw it
vide open, and with his constitutional
boldness, fairly bowed Mrs. Adams and
her lady guests out of the room. Who
was wrong in this case3
a SPECIAL ulspdtcn " Lno DoStOA a."
Vel tiSer sums up Grants position on the
Reconstruction question, as given in
his testimony before the Judiciary Com
mittee as follows: he said in effect, as
is understood, that he had not thought
il his province to meddle in politics;
that he had never been asked by the
President for his advice or opinions on
political matters; that in all he had said
about the necessity for an early restora-
tion of the Union he had spoken as a