Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-02

lawyer to discountenance appeals 10 MOD
law. There IS no room for moDocracy
In this land OF liberty regulated by law.
The courts are open for the enforcement
of every right and the redress OF every
wrong. II there be any exception IL
must be founded upon human impulses,
which government Is incompetent TO con-
troll. Twice did Roman liberty rise upon
the ruins Of tyranny, trampied In the
dust by reason OF outrages against wo-
manhood And the eloquent and indig-
nant burst of Icillus has never been mea-
sured in the cold scales OF legal formula:
Saevite in tergum ct in cervices nostras
Pudicitia, saltem. in tuto sit.
We all agree that the fiend in human
shape who makes a brutal assault upon
helpless female should be summarily
put TO death. but fortunately in Virginia
there is now apparently no necessity 10
invoke the application Of lynch law. Sec
ton 4Ol6 Of the Code as amended Ivy the
Act OF the General Assembly, approved
February IL. 1894, provides that when on
indictment is found against person Tor
felony I'm a court wherein he may lie
tried, the accused. IL I'm custody. or II ne
appear according to MS recognizance, shall,
unless good cause be shown for a con-
tinuance. be arraigned and tried at the
same term"
THE LAWYERS REWARD.
The speaker. in eloquent words, showed
the reward which follows upon the Iro-
per practice of the profession-not IN
money, though OF this usually a compe-
tency awaits the Industrious practitiOn-
ers. but in the confidence OF their>feIlow-
men; in the opportunities of enforcing
| practical morality among the people; in
! the positions Of honor and trust which
are given 10 members of the profession
As illustrative Of the great service which
members Of the profession have been able
TO give mankind. the speaker cited the
work of Thomas Erskne, the greatest
forensic orator Of England, and Patrick
Henry the greatest forensic orator OF
America.
During the reign Of William the Third
and queen Anne, said the speaker, while
the law OF libel was 50 vigorously en-
! forced by the courts. the press. though
theoretically free. was practically sub
jooted TO the most oppressive tyranny.
The bench announced that in a prosecu-
ton for libel the jury had nothing to do
but determine the fact Of the writing or
publishing. They could not decide whe
ther the publication was libellous or not.
In defending in 1854 Erskine delivered an
argument pronounced to be the finest in
the English language. Such was the I'M
preston made upon the hearts of the
English people that 1t resulted in the
Fox libel act, an act which freed the
English press.
! OF Patrick Henry's service, the speaker
cited his memorable resolutions of 18th
of May, 1865. in the House Of Burgesses,
which claimed FOR the General Assembly
! the exclusive power TO lay taxes and i'm
posts upon the inhabitants of this colo
: ny; his services I'm l7l4 as a delegate with
/ Randolph, Lee, Bland, Harrison, Pendle-
ton, and Washington in the Continental
Congress; as Governor Of Virginia, 9nd
/ in the great convention Of intellectual
giants in Richmond in June, 17SS and his
| last public appearance at Charlotte
Courthouse in March, 1779.
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION.
Mr.. Thomas Ransom, Of Staunton, pre-
scented the report of the Committee on
International Arbitration. 1t paid re-
spects to the benevolent assimilation"
policy Of the government, and stated
/ that on the whole the Hague conference
has been successful and would bear good
fruits.
In view OF the movement which has
been inaugurated i'm Illinois looking to
the celebration Of the ith Of February,
1901, as John Marshall day." resolutions
were introduced by Messrs. Beverly Mum
ford and J. L. Harrison directing the APP
pOintment OF a committee 10 cooperate
in this work, and, If possible, to purchase
for the home Of the Bar Association of
Virginia. with open Welcome TO all law
yers. the John Marshall home, in Rich
mond.
The following were appointed to pre-
pare memorials on deceased members:
l.. l.. Lewis. Eppa Hunton, Jr., X. X.
Hicks. william \. Anderson, +. NJ. Full
ton. b. +. Buchanan. j. L. Harris, Jr.,
J.. 5. Bryan. l.. c. Phillips. Il. c. Mar
shall. r. r. W. Duke, Jr, and w. W.
Henry.
The Committee on Publication appointed
| to-day were William J. Clopton, Thomas
y. Carter, Wilbur j. Kilby.
New members were elected as follows:
! Charles NJ. Broom, Of Berryville, Va;
Blackburn Smith and Lawrence Boyce
OF Berryvllle; Paul Petit, OF Palmyra;
j. s. Harnsberger. of Harrisonpurg; FRED
| Harper of Lynchburg: George A. Frick,
| of Norfolk: Henry W. Anderson. OF Rich
moud: Henry c. Reilly, of Richmond;
| David II. Leake, OF Goochland county;
Robert c. Kaw. OF Gate City; Charles c.
| Carline of Alexandria; O. ID. Batchel OF
| Newport News; &. B. Guyer, OF
Buena Vista: II. l.. Garrett, OF Coving-
ton. C. F. Moore. OF COVington; professor
w II. Vance. of Lexington; Il. Shelton
Jackson. of Front Royal; Judge Lyman
| Chalkley. Of stanton; John a. Cole Jr.:
Of Richmond. and Charles curry, Vi
! stanton.
MIR. HARRISON'S ADDRESS.
The address of the evening session was
made by Mr. James =. Harrison, OF Dan
willie. on suggested Changes In gu"
Judicial System" 1t contained sugges-
! tons of radical change.
The speaker predicted constitutional
| convention i'm the near future, anu al
| trbuted the failure OF the people recently
| IN call a convention TO their apprehension
| that lust at that time partisan politics
| might have played too prominent part
| i'm the convention.
| The first suggestion made was con-
| stitutionaI amendment absolutely pro-
| hibiting any Judge Of any court OF RECORD
| from ever practicing law during his term
| of office. He pointed out the disadVan-
| tages attendant on a judges holding d
| court where his client may be hti'
| CANT. or % a client being tempted 10 en-
NOV as counsel in one court the lawyer
who as Judge must decide his case al
another court -
The second suggestion was that the
Constitution should clearly provlde lndt
every Judge when elected, should MI the
office for the full term prescribed oy law
In the present state Of the DECISIONS
there is uncertainty as To what .ae 81
preme Court of Appeals may hoii. ihe
speaker argued that the gross vVus Vi
combinations wige pulling, and clever
Marty handling would be TO a great extent
iassened Il this amendment could be ell
fsc+ad because all the judges would not