The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-15

Action OF the Bar Association at the "h''s
Sulphur springs.

Action OF inc bar ArsVts"''''
Sulphur springs.
The following communication was sent
TO The Times some time since with the
request that it be published, but It's APP
pearance has been unavoidably delayed;
Editor The Times: Your reporter from
the White Sulphur Springs Oh me Pio-
ceedings OF the Virginia STATE oar as
ISOLATION must have gone there inplesseu
with the beauties and beatitudeS Oh Id"
reform so~caIIed, and ready ana prep"reu
TO chronicle victory Tor us pIoPaSan
dists. Though the result ala not .uini
cancellations, though IL was iii TACT maae
most manifest by unmlstakaDie oeihoh-
stra,ions ON the first day or night, when
the subject was first introduced, mat d
large majority of the meeting were I'M
alterahlv opposed to any radical change
in any laws Of procedure, though, after
that first bout, most Of the special COM
nittee abandoned the most radical or
their bills; though. by the very first vote
taken. the "act 10 provide a code proce-
dure based upon the idea Of one form OF
action" and every paragraph and word
I'm the committees report in favor OF u
were overwhelmed and stricken out; ana
though those of the special bills reported
nv the committee which were deemed
obnoxious by a majority of the meeting
were either stricken out, dropped Cf
amended. so that on the final vote nearly
all the members present voted TOT theHi'
yet your reporter, seemingly adnerlng 10
his original programme for chronlcllhs
n victory. and determined TO let nothlhs
interfere with 1t, egregiously minimlzes
and depreciates what was done by thoSe
who were opposed to code procedure ana
to any radical amendments OF our pres
ent common law pleading, as amended,
and magnifes and exaggerates what was
accomplished by those advocating bo-
called law reform. Truly may the re-
formers echo the exclamation OF Pyrrhus,
when a victory which he saw was most
disastrous to his hopes Of conquering
Rome was reported to him: Another
victory like this and we are undone.
/ do not write this in any spirit OF
Growing over our antagonists. L want tbe
facts stated so that our absent trlenos
may not be alarmed because Oh 5oui
reporters statements.
For the depreciating and ridiculous per-
sonal illusions to me, / commend 70 your
reporter for perhaps his edifcatlon ana
the delectation OF his friends, the cpl
A. Poe's "Marginalia." his works, VoiuIhe
/. page 304 number Tx.
7 did not look into any newspaper WINE
at the White Sulphur. On my way back.
and on arriving home this evening"
road all the reports above referred TO,
and at once determined to write ana
IN ask YOU TO publish in your paper what
Is above written. Yours truly,
W. b. PETIT.
Palmyra, August g. 1898.
August 10, 1893.
Editor The Times:
Dear Sir-When In your office on
the 18th, inquired why the foregoing
was not published and you told me you
had not seen nor heard OF 1t, and express
ed regret that anything I had written
should have been suppressed Before l
left you learned from an employe on
The Times. that this communication had
been sent to the waste basket because
OF the criticisms upon your reporter.
Are reporters above criticism?
While in your city / learned from
several members of the Association
who were not present at our late meeting
that they had derived from your reports
as I was sure would be the case-very
erroneous impressions OF its action; and
the Richmond Dispatch, of the nth, con-
tains a communication which, from the
verisImilitude Of its statements and
conclusions to those of your reporter,
might well nave been written by the lat
ter. II becomes, therefore, the more i'm
portant that my communication OF the
9Th which in q few words sets forth the
action Of the Association, and the re-
suits thereof. should be published. If
the paragraph referring TO one of Poe's
epigrams be regarded by you as unjust TO
your reporter. or too pungent-l do not
think IL is-why, strike It out. And yet,
/ would not have 1t so; he will, anyhow,
never forgive me for his behavior TO me.
And so of the writer in the Dispatch.
OF what or whom was it written, Eyes
have they, but they see not; they have
ears. but they hear not?" / believe the
psalmist says nothing about brains; l
will not attempt any emendation OF the
text. Very truly yours,
w r. PETTIT.