The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-24
mn, WisE's COUP D'ETAT.

When SIR. JOHN S. Wise came dow
from New York some time ago to p.eat
the cause of certain Virginia negroes
Eilo were attacking the Constitution. h
came loaded with a stump speech. whic!
be had thought to deliver under the pro
lection of the court. He had not pro
.eded very far in mis- TRADE, however
when Chief Justice Fuller called hin
iown and admonished him that he mus
.onfine himself to the issue of his Gauss
md must not indulge IN personal abus'
ST outsiders. MIR. Wise was keeniy dis
appointed. or this seemed to him spie
I'D opportunity to set behind the bulwart..
II the court and fire ro.leys Of his PEN
70 w.atn at the people of Virginia
But MIR. Wise has the usual cunning
@-,f a .,snadnaan. for mailman he is on th'
,ubject OF Virginia, Ind being foiied 4.
court he wrote personal letter to !,
citizen OF Rchmo:ld and succeed in gel
ing It published II the Richmond Dis
,atch and the Richmond News. 1t wa,
/ clever coup q tat for an attorney VII.
lad been choked off by the Chief justice
.f the United States to get hearing an,
/, means of venting his spite and waru
through Richmond newspapers.
The letter is a marvel of its kind. Il
s an ingenious Misrepresentation of tht
whole negro question. OF the po!i'lca
,itua;ion In Vii gina, ard Of the Virgin.
people. It would be 4 masterpiece il Mi
Wise had not permitted his wrath All,
,,,ite and venom to creep out here an
tnere throughout the epistle. and SO Civ,
lis whole case away.
we have no disposition to criticise
i, dea!l The less thai is said about
he better. bat IN order TO show no
seen and shcewd this attorney is in mis-
representing his own people, his owl
9TH and Kin GOD save the narls3 I.
,rder to show, as we have said, the in
tenuity OF his statements. we TAX
he following paragraph from the boo.
If the letter:
And finally, has not every apponteS
beneficiary and recipient OF preierment
tnce this alleged new Constitution IA.
seen put into operation. been one OF thos,
sho planned it, and for whose bene.
4. was devised? Read the list and an
iwer me-
OF course reference is had. first of all
10 the members Of the Corporation Con.
mission, two Of whom were members
E.,f yy-1ea
ire the facts? Governor Montague gav'
ais careful and prayerful attention to til,
tppoin t1nent of these commissioners ano
ndeayored as honestly and zeaiously az
my Official ever endeavo-ed to find tn
BEST man for the position. For the law
rcr member his first choice was Judg
Phleear, of Montgomery. But as it final,
turned ont. Judge Ph!egars profes.
uonal commitments were such as TO pre-
rent him from accepting. He then turn.
ID to Judge Buchanan, of the Court OF
Appeals. but that gentleman found tina
was impracticable for him TO serve
Next he made overtures to Dir. Martin
eurEs, Of Washington and Lee Uni
yerslts, but Mr. Burks ala not thinl
that he could in fairness give up hi
work at tina, institution. Finally Judg5
Beverly T. Crump. Of the Circuit Ccur
IF Richmond. was prevailed upon to ac-
sept. and 1t is scarcely necessary to say
hat this appointment has given entire sat
kfact!on. Judge crunp was In no sens,
/ candidate for the position. and he was
aot, as Mr. Wise has indirectly stated.
! member OF the Constitutional Conven.
ton.
n should also be stated in this connection
that the Governor offered the position TO
Hr. caperton Braxton. but 1ir. Bra1toa
declined for the very reason that he had
introduced the ordinance to create q
Corporation Commission. and had made
4 vigorous fight for its adoption. and so
vas unwilling to become the beneficiary
ef his own work
AS for MI Fairfax. he is man Of
large interests and everyt ,dy knows that
= was not lc5okinE for on ONCE Of any