Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1870-04-04
6haracteristic Speech.

A Richmond correspondence Of the, Baltimore
Sun gives the following synopsis of the open
ing argument of Gov Wise in the Elyson-Ca-
boon case now before Judge Underwood, at
Richmond:
In the Injunction case Of Cahoon against FL
tyson and Others, before Judge Underwood, to-
day, ex-Gov. Henry A. Wise delivered the be-
ginning of his argument in favor OF the writ
asked for. IL was characteristic speech, full
of those eccentric idiosyncracies for which the
sneaker is famous. Ola as be is, he is still full
OF Youthful Ere, and though his tall frame Is
little bent with age, his mind is still erect, &C
tive and vigorous. His versatile genius stili
holds its former sparkle and freshness, and his
eloquence still charms and sways as OF yore.
He is indeed "the old man eloquent, and as
be had to-day 10 vindicate himself against the
popular odium which he has incurred here by
taking Caho0n's part, even as counsel, all the
combativeness and defiant temper OF his nature
was aroused He claimed that he undertook
the case in the discharge of his professional
duty. and that he would hold his ground IN
contempt Of the clamOr raised against him.
He was like the man he most admlred-An-
drew Jacksou-in at least one respect, that
when he touk a stand, by the eternal God, he
would die by it, if necessary. 1t was charged
that he sought to curry favor with the powers
that be; but he avowed himself naked, IN
repentant and unforesworn rebel, who would
periure his soul for no price, and who would
not accept even his dearest rights as favors or
upon conditions. He had never asked pardon,
! 4, - ba M
Of having done anything wrong. tie was not
sorry for anything he had done in the war, ex-
cept that he had failed TO do as much as he de-
sired. Nor could be consent for any consider
alton to wrong the heroic dead who had died
by his side for the lost cause. No! He would
accept no pardon lie would not, with his
knowledge aud consent, allow his name to
sneak through Congress in an act removing
disabilities. He condemned and spurned these
things as adding insult to injury. Were Uiys-
ses Grant 10 send him special pardon, he
would draw black lines around il and return
il. endorsed with the declaration that he was
no more traitor than he Grant was. Nor
would he take advantage of general amnesty
"a thing which the ladies present would par
don him for fifty denOminatiug as d-n nasty
trick to swindle the people Of the South into
tacit confession of guilt.
Yesterday he was the owner Of slaves to-
day he was a slave. He desired to be free, but
not upon cOnditions-not upon terms preScrib-
ed by a power that he would never acknowl-
edge. He hoped, as old as he was, for better
days and for better things, when Virginia-al-
ways a State, has been from the beginning,
now is, and ever will be, world without end
would stand erect once more, not as creature
but a creator Of the Union; not ruled, but ru-
ling not suppiant, but a sovereign by d.
wins right he had had M art nor part in
bringing her to her present attitude, with every
Joint, ave every vertebra bent, crawling
through the dirt of humiliation back into the
Union that her own hands had built. " Great
God, what a spectacle" said he. " But gem
tlemen Of the committee Of nine, tits your own
work. Virginia, thou canst not say did
-. CECIL