Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-25
LEARNED In THE LAW
THIRD ANNUAL MEETING ON TUES
DAY OF STATE BAR ASSOCIATION
sketch Of Its Organ ization and History
The Two Previous Meetings-A
Large Attendance Certain.

| White Sulphur Springs. W. Va.
| As might naturally be expected the State
Bar Association had its origin in the asso-
citation of the metropolitan bar of tie
State. This is how il happened:
| At the annual meeting of the Richmond
| Bar Association on the 18th of February,
| 1859. a resolution was adopted appointing
a committee Of five with view OF forming
o State bar ASSOCIATION.
| Messrs. Frank II. Mcclure, Edward ii.
Fitzhugh. James q. Lamb, Wyndhnm Il.
Meredith, and William Ellyson were ap-
! pointed as such committee. Very shortly
thereafter Judge FiDhugh was elected to
the bench of the Chanoery Court OF Rich
mond and resigned from the committees.
| The committee sent out circular-letter
70 the leading members OF the Bar IN the
! State. setting forth the objects Of the pro-
posed State association, such ss promoting
the dignity of the Bar, guarding the ave-
tnues of the profession, laoorlng to secure
&C., and on the i4th of May. 1888, the
lRichmond Bar Association by resolution
Ifinvitod The Bar of Virginia 10 assemble IN
lponyention at Virginia Beach on the 5th OF
July of that year.
l. PLACE OF IT'S BIRTH.
The convention was called TO order by
\ Dir. r. H. Mc(fulre. who gave "A brief ac-
count of the movement which had resulted
! In assembling so many Of the lawyers Ut
| the State and an outline Of the purposes
| Of the proposed association. He closed
| by naming Major Charles NJ. Blackford, OF
| Iynchburg, as temporary chairman, ana
be was unanimously elected.
O. Mr. Blackford. after a brief but terse and
\ i,pquent address, called on MIR. Holmes
L. ,onrad. Of Winchester. 10 state his views
hs to tire purposes Of the meeting and how
\ they could be best secured and Mr.. Con,
| red did go in speech of some length and
| with great force. and then Judge Iheo-
| dore S. Garrett, of Norfolk, moved that
! the meeting proceed 10 organize VIr
GINA State Bar Association" which was
narried unanimously amid great enthusi-
asm.
CUTTING OUT WORK.
Several committees were then appointed
| to cut out work for the association. and on
| the following day constitution and by
laws were adopted and officers for the en-
suing year elected. Upon Judge William
J. Robertson, OF Charlottesville. fell the
| honor of being the first president of the
| association. and the following gentlemen
Zone from each Of the grand divisions Of
J the STATED were elected vice-pres!dents:
Thomas Tabb. from Tidewater John W.
RELY. from Southside; James A. Walker,
| from Southwest; Holmes Conrad, from
the Valley; and Frank v. Winston, from
Piedmont. Mr. James c. Lamb, of Rich
mond. was elected secretary and treasurer.
fhe following gentlemen composed the
Executive Committee: G. NJ Blackford,
William J. Leake. +. II. McGuire, Jamos
4. Heath, Alexander Hamilton, and
| Thomas s. Martin. Mr. Blackford was
| made chairman Of the committee ana TO
his skill and tact is due much OF the sue
ccss which has attended the annual meet
,ngs OF the association. lie ana MI
hamilton drew the long term OF service
on the committee (three years. and con:
seguently 90 out Of Office at the close OF
the coming meeting, greatly to the regret
OF their brothers ofthe bar.
APLFAsno INCIDENT.
An incident Of this first meeting at Vir-
ginia Beach and one which Is still recalled
with pleasure by chose present, was the
speech Of Hon. J. Proctor Knott, the dis
tinguished kentuckian. who was guest
st the hotel and was invited to attend tho
meeting of the convention. Members OF
tho assoclation will laugh now n they re-
ai-s 10 YOU this passage from an effort
which was as brilliant a. Il was brief
sir am ono Of those who believe that man
cannot mako a really brilliant extemporaneous
speech. fragrant with all the delightful aroma OF
| entire spontanety, without ht least TWO Weeks
| prsparation: and therefore am a. il-prcparr1
for ths, sir Is the yOunE rduuludtb WI Ahii,9ivi
10 the tar was for hls examination. Ills father,
| who had the proiounde5t confidence in his son,
accompanied him to the Judge. Ine parent
waited with nervous anxiety TIL NJ last the son
appeared and he was asked how he came out.
| He said: IL know | answered one question
| right" What was that" "Nhon the inage
| asked me the differences between an e2ecutofy
limitation and a contingent remainder, told
him didn't know.
| MTNr-JULEPs.
| Il, 90
was held at the White Sulphur Springs,
W. Va. Oh July q and 25, 1889. when Alr.
James G.. Carter, the distinguished New
York LAWYER delivered the annual address
and made the acquaintance OF the 'lr-
ginians and their seductive mint-iuleps.
His address has been the talk OF the asso-
citation ever since and at the banquet he
taught his hosts that good after-dinner
speakine was not confined TO the hospita-
HE +. X. VS.. He fell in love with the
Virginians and they with MIN. and one OF
the pleasures which each member OF the
| associatiou looks forward to a. the coming
| meeting is that OF seeing and hearing him
again. for he has accepted an invitation 70
be present, and will respond TO the toast
Virginia"
Lynchburg. was elected president, and the
following gentlemen vice-presidents; ,.
Ferguson Beach &. A. Graves, John IL.
Fulton. William r. McKenney. and X. b.
Tunstall. Mr.. James G. Lamb was again
elected secretary and treasurer, and
blessrs. Mlcaiah Woods and George NJ.
| Harrison We're put on the Executive Com
mittee IN the places Of Messrs. ": j. Leake
and J. L. Heath, whose terms had expired.
| Ii was at this meeting tnat judge no
bertson, in delivering the presidents adj
lress, came out so strongly forlaw reform,
| n subject which has since engaged much
OF the time Of the ASSOCIATION ana prom
ises TO be one of the most interesting Tea
lures of the third uniting, when Dir. Fat
teson's report comes up tor discussion, IL
was at this uniting that the code on ethics
was adopted. and at which the lanented
Colonel Tohn II. Guv read his interesting
naper entitled Allowances by Courts OF
Fees to Counsel"
| sEcoND ANNUAL MEETING.
The second annual meeting was held at
Hyeein Hotel. Old Point Comfort, on July
lst' Cd. and Sd. 1890, when Judge Charlos
r. Fenner. of New Orleans, delivered the
annual address. which was chaste ana
| eIoouent production. and eliciled warm
praise from the 140 lawyers present
At this meeting Judge Edward Z. Burks,
of Bedford CITY. was elected president ana
the following gentlemen ylce-presldents
A. \. Seoar. bergman Green. Samuel o.:
| II.
Eppa Hunton. Mr.. James L. Lalno was
for the third time elected secretary and
treasury. and Messrs. Il. l.. Herley and o..
Y. Meredith were put on the Executive
Committee in the places OF Messrs. +: H..
McGuire and Thomas s. Martin, whose
terms had expired.
PARTICULARLY BRILLIANT.
The banauet at this meeting was particu-
larry brilliant, Mr. James G. Carter again
carving of the honors- IL was at TINS
banquet that Major Blacktord made his
famous response to the toast, The Execu-
tive Committee" which enhanced his repu,,
tation 80 much. 1t was remarked that ali
the speeches were of very high order.
But the third annual meeting promises
70 surpass all Its predecessors. The pro-
gramrne is full of things which would make
a lawyers mouth water. Judge burks wiii
deliver the Presidents address, and hon.
William G. p. Breckenridge. of Kentucky;
Will deliver the annual address. Such we'll
known lawyers as Robert 1. Barton, John
W. Riely. and John Randolph Tucker VIII
reae papers. The report OF Mr.: ;. ,. Z.
Patteson's Committee on Law Reform pro-
misses TO provoke an able and interesting
discussion. and it is looked forward towltn
great interest.