The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-01-28

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS.
WASHINGTON, January 26, 1869.

| Eba baseRsAL L. sS2SRESPoSp pENSE.
WASHINGTON, January 26, 1869.
TODAY has not brought its due amount of
excitement. The disposition towards the
"new movement has not taken shape and
subsistence through any ACT Of the Judiciary
| omr,it,ee of the Senate. The Reconstruct
tion Committee Of the House will f,wait the
action Of the Senate committee.
The resolution for yacating all the Offices
in tho States not in the Union is not yet
passed. The newspaper report of the action
upon it led me into an error. 1t has passed
to and fro between the Houses, and was
amended by the Senate on Saturday by
adding Mississippi to *; and it therefore
has gone back TO the House. P
| am gratiicd to be able to state posi-
lively that the postponement of the opera
| ton Of the resolution was in response to the
| Virginia movement. Had that not taken
place, the resolution would have passed, to
take immediate effect. | an assured by
leading senators and members that time
was given in order to see what could be
done in the inte i'm on the subject.
| To-day the sub ieut of tho removal of the
disabilities of our judges wcsup before the
Reconstruction Committee Judges Shelf
fey and Thomas appeared I'D made state
ments.
Judge Sheffey stated that he was there
| at the request Of the members Of the bar
| of his circuit and by invitation Of the com
mittee. He vindicated his own motives
and conduct, and defended the public senti-
| ment of the State from the imputations cast
upon it. He challenged specifications from
those who imputed partiality to him, and
denied that he had ever made different
ruling in one case from that In another on
account of the race or the opinions of the
parties. He declared that the iuries in his
circuit were generally fair and free from
prejudice. He had known but one marked
exception, and that was in case in one of
the counties Immediately on the border Of
the State. in that case the parties were n
Union man and man who had sided with
the South. The jury in that case were in
censed at the idea that southern sympa-
thizer could not get justice in West Virgil
MIA, and made a decision not borne out by
the law. I'VE may add that the lawyer, a
Union man, on the side Of the southern
sympatbizer suggested this idea in his
speech 10 the jury.) Judge Sheffey sharply
censured the jury for their decision and
the motive which governed 1t, and ordered
new trial.
The Judge read an extract from charge
to the grand Jury addressed to them in
March, 1866, Immediately after his cleo
ton to the Office of Judge, going to show
his view of the rights Of the freedmen, and
the duty Of the whites towards them al
that early day. 1t urged the whites, in
Justice TO the colored people, and as mat
: +bamce1roc 70 froot
the blacks kindly, and TO accord TO them all
their rights. 1t dwelt with much emphasis
upon the claims they had upon the whites,
especially on the ground that during the
war, although these opposed to their mas
ters were understood 10 be fighting to set
them the blacks) at liberty, they were
faithful to those masters that while the
whites were in the battlefield they remain
ed at home cultivating the lands, and IN
many instances protecting the families of
their masters. He believed that during
that time there was not an instance OF dis
order or insubordination. So extraordinary
case Of fidelity under such circumstances
was hardly to be found in history.
These views were strongly enforced, and
the obligation OF all citizens to assist by
their conduct and influence to restore kind
| relations among all classes and parties was
| clearly presented. The extract was well
received by the committee. After some
unimportant questions by Mr.. Norris, OF
Alabama, Judge Sheifey retired.
Mr.. Lewis Mckenzie, Of Alexandria, was
called up, and requested to say what he
| could with reference 10 several persons ap-
plyinc for the removal of their disabilities.
NJ ~ . -+-ioI nd foif h
rul Republican, and was an uncompro-
missing adversary Of the secession of Vlrgl-
MIA. lie is decided in his convictions,
positive in his ex expressions, but kind hearted
and sincere w.thal, true Flrglnlan az
well as strong in his national devotion. He
is tired Of strife, and despising the merce-
nary spirit Of Ciiice-hunting which would
continue the shack!eS upon his fellow-citl-
zaus, he wants to see the State restored, her
people in the possession of their rights, anu
pros sperity ani harmony prevailing.
In his peculiar manner, handling the pa
pers before him rapidly and making his
comments with nervous earnestness, he
seemed 10 be sandwitching between the do
cuments his pithy and well-seasoned re-
marks ",rhis man is a good man, SIR
useful citizen-honest, truthful. His dis
abilities ought TO be removed" This man
is kind-hearted man good citizen"
"This one is also ''--and SO on from one to
another till he came to Mr.. Brown, clerk Of
King George, whom he declared to be
worthy as a gentleman and officer; he and
his father before him had filled the office Of
clerk from the adoption of the Federal Con-
stitution and 80 going on, and warming up
as he went, he finally declared that all
these men and all the judges Of Virginia
ought to be restored to their rights. The
Judges were upright and impartial and able
men. They were unimpeachable, and ne
Was mortified TO see men who were strangers
in Virginia coming before this committee
to make charges against ther. .h"s were NO
sustained by any evidence.
Mr. Nick. spoke especir!'y e '"'r:s
Sheffey and Thomas, and hi~e!T con'rn-
meuted those gentlemen. nc lived N
Tndoe Thomas's circuit, and proclaimed his
impartiality and ability with g-cat ernrsa-
sis. All these men ought to BE relieved
indeed. all the people of Virginia exccrt a
few leaders ought at once to be restored t.
their rights. Billy Smith might be ex-
cepted, and some Of the Faynes OF Var,
ren,on, and fer cthers--srch cs General
Wise. who was q leader, brt yet Kind
gentleman and eocially estimabie,; 1he
Governor would have hung him MIR. Mch. J
had he caught him, but still he was good
man. towards whom he (Mr. Nick had not
an unkind feeling. Indeed, he had no un,
L;,d fealipo towards ANYBODY. He had