Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-29
TIE TIL: STATE 1T THE BAR
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE)

pie Of his native State for their alleged
1nisdoings.
He looked in rotund and portly person
age as ne mopped his perspiring brow,
like the immortal Nj. Picl.wicll. and, Ger
tainly, when his fights of fancy We're
from time 10 time, and not infreGuent!y.
interrupted by the sharp legal ti1rusts of
the court. put in the shape Of appeals for
information on points evidently rendered
obscure by the redundancc of the figures
II speech in which the brilliant lawyer
clothed his argument. he came TO earth
and Goundered aboutlil1e as Dickens hero
writing in the clutches of the learned
Sergeant Buzfuz. in the celebrated case
OF Bardc1l vs.. Pickwicls.
a MEMORABLE SCENE
The scene which ensued was one not
unworthy OF the occasion. The orator
ped a theme which was not wanting in
lis show Of merit and justice from the
standpoint of the Pariah race for whom it
vas ostensibly made, and he handled 1t
in a large, expansive manner, and with a
yeor of personal and political invective
which evoked frequent demonstrations of
uuaCcustoned applause in such a place
from dark lines of his synpathies among
lie audience that not even the peremp-
tory voice Of the court officer command
Ing Order in the court could entirely re-
press.
The orator. from time to time. dashed
the Virginia leaders by name with scath-
ing sarcasm and ridicule. until the Chief
Justice finally interrupted him by sus-
costing that this was a court of law en-
gagged in the consideration of grave legal
and constitutional questions in which such
personal illusions were irrelevant and
cut of place. and asked him to contille
himself TO the argument.
Mir Wise offered due apologies. and
promised 10 eliminate the arguUlentum ad
hominem in future, bur he failed to keep
his word entirely. rcsortiEg to his favor
ite weapon occasionally, in spite of him
self though without using names.
THE DRIFT OF THE ARGUMENT.
he said that this was % contest OF
rival government, and admitted that every
official named in the suit was a duly au-
thorized officer Of the State government.
He claimed that an organized conspiracy
had been entered into by the regularly
constituted officers Of the State to sup
plant the chart of government to which
they had sworn allegiance
The executive, legislative. and other
branches Of the government had betrayed
the Constitution they had sworn to up
hold had raised a strange flag and were
sailing under false colors. They might
call it what they pleased. but there were
Other names given to this conduct on the
nigh seas than that they gave it. They
We're bound under the old Constitution
and 'w the plighted faith of Virginia in
rcsuning her place in the Union to sub
init the new Constitution to the electorate
created and recognized by the old, and
they had betrayed that obligation.
THE EES AND WISFS
lie thanked God that there were no
Lees and Wiscs in that convention who
could be charged with betraying the hand
that had patled them. They were differ
ent breed of men and made no pledges that
they did not keep. They were not of those
who had crowded TO Washington and
begged 10 be permitted 20 come back into
the Union on any conditions Congress
might stipulate, and they were not the
men 10 break the Constitution which some
who claimed the people of Virginia were
crazy 10 adopt it at that time were
willing to 90.
A HISTORICAL REVIEW.
The speaker then rehearsed the consu-
tuuonal history Of Virginia from the Or
cnance Of Secession. through the Recon
SGUction acts TO the Constitution of 1863.
Es.rv one Of the States that had been
OUT cI the Union We're required. as pre-
requisite 10 their return. TO subscribe to
the provisions of those acts, and by their
adoption OF them they were bound never
I" d!Sfranchisc any citizen or class OF cln-
ze1ls on account of race, color, or previous
condition Of servitude. Thus. the right
Of the people Of Virginia to hold Consu-
1utional Convention was c.rcunscribed at
The outset by the condition That il should
be submitted 10 the electorate created at
That and -has Oh In the Con-
stitntion should ever operate TO deprive
these people Of their franchise.
LASTED A GENERATION.
Tor thirty years Virginia had kept her
p'eeSe, the people had lived and pros
pe'ed under this Constitution, and no one
Ger dreamed that any one coald break
The pledges that had been given.
And then came the Constitutional Con-
vention of 1901 1902. The members We're
all ,IJ.,.p II