Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-17

present Judge OF the Accomac County
Court The speaker said ne had not in
tended 20 again be heard i'm a caucus
his session, but that friends of the gem
'eman whose name he presented had re-
questec him TO make the nomination
be knew of no circuit in the State that
required a greater degree Of ability TO
preside over than the Eighth Judge
Blackstone would discharge his duties
not only with ability. but with absolute
fairness and impartality. In point OF
ecal ability that gentleman had few
EQUALS Colonel BOykn said he thought
uo more oeplorable sight could be pre-
sented than that OF a judge who was not
the equal in ability Of the members of
the bar who appeared before his court.
luike Blackstone was high and lofty in
thought noble I'm purpose and stood to-
l tho peer Of any man in all that con-
ftuteC Gods noblest work. Senator
Rpykin said he had in his possession
ltition signed by some Of the most dis
hguished members Of the bar i'm the
ktrict requesting that Judge Black
Zone be nominated. The speaker gave
forief history Of the record Of the gentle
10 nan whose claims he was advocating.
% CLAIMS OF SENATOR BARNES.
Mr. r. r. Powell placed in nomination
Senate from New Kent He agreed with
Senator Boykin in all that the latter had
said as to the ability Of Judge Black
stone However. Manly II. Barnes was
the equal OF that gentleman, and Virginia
was fortunate in having two such distln-
guished sons aspiring 10 the position. out
Of the delegation Of six from the district,
Doe admitted that four We're advocating
the nomination of Judge Blackstone. but
nf..I hoo
Accomac had sent them 70 the seats they
occupied I'm the General Assembly. Ihe
western side Of the district. however,
should De entitled TO some rights. Ihe
property valuation on this side was great
or than on the Eastern Shore; there were
six counties on this side. while there We're
TWO on the other; the former had double
The population. with seven courts, against
two on the Eastern Shore. The General
Assembly had very wisely endorsed the
Roanoke platform that declared in favor
of retrenchment and reform. and how
could they better promote the latter than
by saving the State every dollar they
e0uld2 III Judge Blackstone was put on
Tho Eastern Shore Of the circuit he would
have 10 attend fourteen courts on the
other side. thereby greatly increasing the
mileage.
THE sEcONDING SPEECHES.
Senator LeCato seconded the nomina-
ton Of Judge Blackstone The latter he
said came from section Of the district
holding a peculiar claim for the otiice.
There was a population on the Eastern
Shore Of 1000 persons. one third OF the
property embraced in the district was on
that side which was bounded on the
north b. Maryland on the east by the
Atlantic ocean. and on The west by the
Chesapeake bay. At times. in case Of a
freeze, the people or the Eastern Shore
We're cut off from recourse to other courts.
Those IN the other portion Of the district
could not possibly be placed in such a
Dredicamenr. Therefore IT was but just
that q Judge should be placed in the
reach OF these 1000 people on the Eastern
Shore.
Judge Blackstone was, as had been
stated. supported by four out Of the six
representatives. from the district. ms
legal ability was recognized by all. and at
The age OF g. when a member OF the
State Senate. he had been given the chair
manship Of the Committee on Courts OF
Justice Of that body. The people from the
Eighth District fearing that In the re-