Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-08
Second Days Session Of the State Bar
Association at the White.
JUDGE PRYOR'S ADDRESS.
Influence Of Virginia IN The Formation
Of the Federal Constitution.
A VERY MAsrERLY Etfo"r'
The Constitution Essentially the W.
sorinu of the Old Dominion-infer-
., xtstorIcaI Facts-Washing-
ION mud Lee-EIectlon of Oniccrs'

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS. VA
August 7.-(SpoclaI)-At the ni8ht session
OF the Bar Association last night. aiter
the admirable paper of the late i. II.
Mcclure on the old General Court had
been read, President Blackford announced
the following committees
on Publication-D. c. Richardson OF
Richmond: w. p. McRae. Of Petersbure'
and Lloyd s. Smith. Of Northumberland.
To Nominate Oflcers-John A. COKE
Richmond; Claude a. Swanson. DanVilie'
Martin =. Burks, Bedford city; John H.
Williams. Orange. and c. G. Gra''ah'
Rockingham.
on Memoir of Deceased Members-Wii-
liam NJ. Lille, Albemarle; J. r. '. Daniel
Richmond; Judge y. a. Hancock 'hes-
terrified: Martin p. Burks. BEDFORD CITY
md ". u. simmons Botetourt
Messrs X. {. Blackfora, Of Lynch
burg: Fred. l.. Davidson, OF Richmohd'
w. Dalton Warren, Of Charlottesviiie'
Richard Wake. Of Norfolk, and Joseph
II. Iawless. Of Portsmouth. were elected
members Of the association.
The church was crowded this morn
ing with ladies' and member. Of the as
sociation. who had assembled TO hear the
annual address by Judge Roger \.
Pryor.
Before the speaker was Introduced
CAPTAIN John a. Coke chairman Of the
committee to recommend officers for the
ensuing year. reported the following
names. and the report was unanimously
adopted:
President. Robert NJ Hughes, Of Nor
folk.
Observation-Disclosures Perkins. Of
Charlottesville: r. l.. Parrish. Of Coving-
ton; II. r. Miller, Of Danville; William
b. Taliafrrro, Of Gloucester; and :. {.
Graham, OF Tazewell
Secretary and Treasurer, Jackson cay
III Richmond.
Members Of the Executive Committee
John O. Williams. Of orange. aud Thomas
-. Ransom, OF stanton.
Delegates 70 the American Bar Asso-
clauon-John Pickreli ana b. b. Mum
ford. OF Richmond, ana James Bumsard-
mr.. Jr., OF stanton.
Captain Hlackford then arose TO intro
duce the speaker of the occasion, ana In
doing so said that. although the gentle
man who had been selected to deliver
the annual address lived in the metropo-
lis OF "a distant state he was a son OF old
Virginia. lie was one who, 10 his we'll
earned fame az an orator, had added the
solid attainment Of the profound lawyer
und iurist. This gentleman had accept
ed The invitation OF the Executive Com
mittee. and now appeared before the as
sociatioB TO contribute the wealth of his
eloquence and learning to the bench and
bar OF his native State. lie then pre-
sentei Judge Roger a. Pryor, now one
81 the Judges Of the Court OF Common
Pleas In the city Of New York
Judge Pryor's Address.
Judge Pryor was accorded most fiat
lering reception. Ills theme was the
Influence Of Virginia in the Formation
sf the Federal Constitution" and he spoke
rs follows
Mr.. President ana Gentlemen Of the
Virginia Stat Bar Association Although
j live under another sky. remote from
my native state, my heart, unchanged, is
stu true 10 the Commonwealth OF Nir-
ginia. Her renOwn / cherish as a price
less heritage; and any derogatiOn from
her glory / feel as q flial bereavement.
The emnence already attained by the
American Republic in the rank Of ruling
Powers, its manifest destiny Of illmitabie
expansion and indefinite duration and the
coincidence 81 exhibits Of public order
with individual freedom, naturally attract
attention to the polity Of which the ef-
fects are so prodigiOus and beneiicent.
Hence, the interest, everywhere apparent,
In the Constitution Of the Federal Gov
eminent. Political philosophers the world
/
criticism: and yet it challenges unbounded
and well-nigh universal applause. 1T is
the greatest refinement in social policy"
declares Lord Brougham, "tO which any
state or circumstances has ever given
rise. or to which any age has given
birth" With equal enthusiasm, Mr.. Glad
stone pronounces IL "the most wonderful
work ever struck of at a given time
by the brain and purpose of man" And
Mr.. Bryce. in a strain of less feryid and
morc discriminating admiration, este ms
il "above every other written constitution
fer the intrinsic excellence of fits scheme,
its adaptation To the circumstances Of the
people. the simplicity, breVty. ana pre-
cison of its language. IT'S tudiclous mix
ture OF defniteness in principle with elas-
ticity In details"
A rivalry of pretenslon TO the author
ehip of a system of government 80 sue
cessful and so celebrated was inevitable,
as time efTaced the traces OF its origin.
Immediately after the event, indeed. the
credit Of its construction was awarded 10
Virginia BY common consent; but latterly
Indications Of an effort TO despoil her OF
the distinction are visible in many direc-
lions The task / propose TO myself. in
requital Of your kindness, is 10 reassert
the rightful claim OF Virginia, and 70
vindicate II by the unimpeacfHble evil
uonce OF history.
The genesis Of the supreme law. 4 as
sumo. IS an Interesting subject Of research
with lawyers; proof thae the Federal Con
stitution Is essentially the offspring Of
Virginia. cannot be an ungrateful Offering
20 Nirglnians. II l recount incidents
familiar TO Nirginians. they are incidents
OF which Nirginians should never be
weary in the recollection.
For a time, as implied by Mr.. Gladstone
the notion prevailed that the Federal
Constitution was the conception and
achievement OF the convention OF 1851,
but now the accepted and the more
scientific theory is. that II was not q
creation. but an cvOlution-the moral and
snevitable outgrowth OF the antecedent
political condition OF the country. Con-
templated. however, In either aspect
whether as design OF a development, the
influence Of Virginia In its formation IL
equally conspicuous and decisive. III We
view II as the product Of the past, II en-
bodies the spirit. the ideas, and the in
situations OF Virginia. II We take IL as \
contrivance OF policy, we still see il
formed and finished by the hand OF Wiz.
GINA.
The COlonists OF Virginia were English
md they brought with them from theii
ancestral home the political instincts and
traditions q that mssterful race In 1919
4 wear LefOra. the MaNfinMer tskiifnd fhl