Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-08-21
AN ORAToRIAL RfMINrscEScE.
Tom cOxs Famous Speech or the Ophir Mining
 Suit Ills Squelching of Tom Fitoh.

There is an old story told at the ex-
 pense of Tom Fitch, which for years has
 been current as an anecdote with the lawyers all over the coast. IT it ever
 saw print 1t was.so long ago that 1t Is
 worth reproducing. Ir fact, it is one of
 those good stories which will always be
 worth reproducing. No one can better
 tell the story than Tom Fitch himself
 4 good many years ago a suit was
 brOughi against the Ophir Mining Con-
 pany at a time when it's power and pres
 uge overshadOwed everything on the
 ComstOck- Stewart and Baldwin were
 attorneys for the defense at the begin
 ming of the suit, which dragged along
 for several years and wound up with
 Tom Fitch as counsel The plaintiffs
 attorney was Tom Cox, of Virginia, a
 lawyer who has of late years dropped
 out of sight, and no one seems to know
 what has become of him. His speech
 will live forever. It was as follows:
 May 1t please the court. Only a few
 years ago, when the suit was brought,
 the wOrC Ophir might have stood against
 the wOrl1; the time is fast approaching
 when there will be none so poor as to do 1t reverence. It was an act of unexpect-
 cd courage in my client, when he determ-
 ined to measure swords (purses he could
 nOt) with this formidable but now de- clining power. The outlook was indeed
 unpromising, but how changed is the
 situation In proportion as our cause
 has strengthened that of our adversary
 has been undermined. We grappled
 with a giant, but are now dealing with child. When we dared to sle the Ophir
 Company its power overshadowed rhe land. Sedate functiOnaries delighted tO obey its highest behest. It was the only
 king of tle ComstOck lead it had an un- fathOmable mine of solid silver, and be- sides its buried ore; 1t had piles of yellow gold above the surface.
 It had locust host Of officers, agents and employees. It ru1 great tunnels into the earth, unlocked the secret vaults where treasures fay en- tombed. 1t built magnificent bridges spanning vide lakes and noble streams. l. erected a costly mIll, and surrounded 1t with fence SO close and high that q he outside world vas in continuous dark ness as to what was ground up within. It did more. It owned public officers, | 1t commanded the legislators, and it had for its advisors man who developed into a United States Senator. and ar- other who had become a United States District Judge. Behold it BOW. d long pause. How mounful the change which has come upon the spirit Of i,s dream, Another pause. What do We ! see? No longer does it awe its adyersG- l rles into submission. It no lCngc- shines l like a fixed star. Its portion Of tine ! Comstock lead is a miserable disappoint- meut. IFS servants .rg Egoriy fed and . poorly feed sensation, and they no | more hasten hlther and thIther with | alacrity. Its magnificent bridges have | arches A hush has fallen {. upon its works. Its great mill is deso- | late and its high fence prostrate. Its bank vaults are empty. It's mine is flooded with hot water and choked with | desert sands, and Gs if stern fate dccreed l its cup oi humiliation should overflow. 1t sas been compelled to fall back on Tom Fitch as one of its attorneys"
 As Cox spoke he pointed down at Fitch and looked at lim with the air of 8 man who was trying tO discern some small object on the ground. Fer the first time in has life Fitch was too Eor- plussed to reply. 4 roar Of lauglitei ! went mp lasting for several minutes. Tt was finally sUbdued by the Sheriff. and when all was still again Fitch. whose brow had all along worn a scOw of con tempt, suddenly burst into a laugh, as if l. be had Just comprehended the joke, and next day he was repeating the oratUical 1 'tiOTt Of Cox word for word to admiring { listeners. To-day he knows that sDeech :, better than he does the Lords Payer. -IClrson Appeal.