Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-01-29
.u,;ne Underwood and Ex-GOv. III 4.
Wise

Tn the u. S. Circuit Court at Richnond
Wednesday, Judge Understood rendered H n
decision in the case of Captain William y. I
Nelms vs. The Steamer John SyIT2s'"r
The plaintiff, an ex, Confederate Officer, ar'EH =
his knee pan By stepping into "j'; ',''2 q"
the steamer, sued the owners 10 NovemasF .lsi
for SO, 900 damages got verdict Tor ''"v'
and motion for new trial being now hearu'
the court decided to present the plalntln INC
Alternative OF new trial or receiving - 'oo" liz
etead ofS4 500, in acqulttancc: TX 'To7rEn"I
Wise appeared for the plaintiff
In the course of the Judges remarks ne
rave an acc 1unt of his first coming to rsiha
~ teacher thirty seven years ago; til" kinI
nes, and courtesy shown him by & Distinguishing
Gentleman altar arrival: the services reniereu
LI. him to this entleman in a political canvass:
mo grateful return for these services his snbSc
ou.nt marriage, &c He then advcrted 10 the
SaicnIties toto which he tell on account OF his
ont' slavery sentiments He stated that he hal
| taoo otuc.ted in this belief that lie belonged
w tba straiphtest sect of HamitoniaD icderaliSs;
,hst he was Of tire school Of Penn and Fog;
,hot mi, difference Of opinion had nor aienated
rho rersonaI regard o! his Virginia friends IL"
| aynrsssa,! in the most glowing terms his ~
,n;ra.ion tor the talents requirement" ana
character Of Gov. Wise, the leading conn9e!
Ior rhc plaintiff. He said that this admIraifn
had been formed years before he beclms PEE
sonalIy acquainted with him. and With iHA
| knowledge Of his strong prosIavefy Opinions
| that ne attributed the difference IN theIr np'h-
| ioas an this subject entirely to thcIr inherent
edncat;ons aud associations; that cinae Nlr.
Wise had commenced practlclng IN his court
| he had always treated Elm Win lir ut''o-
| blindness and courtesy, aud that thcir relations
ware most agreeable that the t4overucE,t IN IL"
arrnmrut Of the case. had insisted. IN the most
eIooucnt wa7, that the defendant should DE-
Subjected 10 punitory damages Tor Their ncRit
| ennc, as common carriers b. which tn pl;ntlIl
| had sustained his Jury that IT, did i:"t thin:'
rho cose one for such damages as the ueg l.
gnnc. nrovrd WAS slight bur that he nertecten
e. charse the Jury to this cifer., although not
snn,i,lly asked to give such instruction, anu
That hc thought that the jaFy. in consequence
oc thi: omission, and persuaded by Genera
Wi,r's :!cuuencc, had given al excessive
verdict. Fur this reason he should Accd' L
nut the plaintiff under rule TO a3"t" II
laulag:s. aal il h. r'tu3rt ti.at ~ "'''H 2!'u'
L nrw tra 80, ,., ;,
IN. c,urt that his hearing Waa Imperfect. aid
that b.: had in this way failed to catch s>VaTa
sentences Of the Judges opinion. de had heart
the word slavery used. lie asked Wha
IN Coos usue slavery had to do with the !ues
, t;on If c1nmoa carriers liability We bat
suffered enough, in all conscience, airt ADJ rGu
: ia tatsrrima causa belli For one, he accept
I'd ,h. tact OF its overthrow. and was Wiling Il
: trust, IT. good faith upon the GeW Statu; Q
= affairs He did not question the honesty 81 M
8 honor sentiments on the subject. Hi+ "wn Il
, | ,hnuph were very different on the lustiiutlo
. "a established, although not, perhap-, 80 lnnc
. ., on the question Of the ubstract right In
= this difference Of Opinion had been fatally IN
finally ended. Negroes had become. tree e.
iznus, and be Was willing they should RENAL
+ so But the great question now vas Wnethe
- II, ilIons of white MEG should remain hanarIe
| slaves
> Here Judge lFnGcl wood inturrup ted, ~,
q stated that he was in favor 81 universal SUI
!. rage aud universal amnesty. Act win Tie
"a said the Governor, 'oh tins platform, al Ill
- .,s.h; ~, 49, !~''o". '.o"I these arms. an
r; IRON the arms OF my people, and we WI - q
r side by side, the urea. - pow Gr OH carIh
-, Ioetty' lie, ,d:'uppresSon should ever keel
s;H rom rom noinr both hand aud tongue lear
icssly in defence oil the broken liberties % lh
people He denied in strong terms the RICH
OF lis honor to interfere with the verdict OF th,
-. Jury On the law and evidence His argumen
$ wGs founded solely on the facts Of the case, am
on the law as cypoundcu by It's great lights
3 Kent Story, Jones' Parsons and others.
flo conluled by speaking in high terms O
the kindness, courtesy aud lIbetaIi.y OF his hon
or TO himself and all the members OF the bar
and OF the pleasauLucsa Of their personal rala
:, lions.
The incident occasioned much astonS!llncnt
among the auditors and members u the bar