Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-11-29

Attorney for the District of Columbia
meets with general approval here ana
many good things are being said OF his
ability and qualifications. The salary OF
the office is Sc, 200.
Three hundred and eighty thousand dollars
worth of Massachusetts, State bends, collateral
for government deposits, were withdrawn
from the Treasury Department this morning,
government bonds being substituted for them.
This is the first withdrawal Of State bonds
sinc5 they were first accepted as collateral
by the secretary.
WISE ATTACKS CONSTITUTION.
The assault of John S. Wise, formerly
of Virginia, now of New York, and his
negro legal associate, James II. Hayes,
upon the new constitution of Virginia
was begun yesterday in the United
States Circuit Court in Richmond. Chief
Justice Fuller, of the Supreme Court OF
the United States, went to Richmond
from Washington to preside in the case
upon the request of United States Judge
Waddill, who is sitting in the case with
him. Wise has attempted what that
profound thinker, Edmund Burke, said
could not be done. He has indicted a
whole people and community and in his
argument he showed the greatest bitter
ness toward his mother State, becoming
so personal in his attacks upon the lead
ers of the people Of the State that Chief
Justice Fuller was compelled to call him
to order. His address lasted several
hours and partook more of the nature of
stump speech than legal argument.
Several times the. Obiof-JustiSo remind
ed him that the court did not desire to
be informed of the personnel of the con-
stitutional convention and thus headed
off his inclination to attribute to indiyid-
ual members by name the clauses In
the constitution which he denounced in
scathing terms.
Early in the day the crowd began
to gather. The negroes were among
the first and pre-empted the seats In
the courtroom outside the Enclosure.
There were present practically the
entire membership of the Virginia Cen
eral Assembly, the leaders OF the local
bar and many distinguished citizens
besides.
Attorney General Anderson and his
associate, Frank w. Christian, came in
promptly at the appointed hour and took
their places at the table reserved for the
respondents counsel. Mr.. Wise was
late in arriving on the scene, having
missed his train and was compelled to
charter a special.
At exactly $3.50 O clock, the Chief JUS
tice,. followed by Judge Waddill, filed
in. The hubbub suddenly ceased, the
court crier announced the Chief Justice
of the United States in the customary
formula, while the crowd in the court
room stood in respectful silence.
General Anderson promptly
began the proceedings with prelimi-
nary statement of the matter in hand.
The respondents were ready with their
answer to the bill of injunction, he said,
and asked if the court would have the
pleadings read or if that would be dis
pensed with. Chief Justice Fuller said
it would save time to dispense with
this and go on with the argument.
Mr.. Wise said that before beginning
he wished a clear understanding as to
one point. The time for this injunction
expired last night. He wished it un-
derstood that. the State Board of Canvas
sers should take no action and issue no
certificates until the decision of the
court was rendered.
Attorney General Anderson said that
this was immaterial in the majority Of
the cases. In the case of Mr.. Glass, Of
the Sixth district, it would be prejudicial
to his interests, as he would be entitled
to take his seat in Congress next Mon
day. The Court said this matter could
be considered later
Mr.. Wise then said he wished to in
troduce some affidavits and documents as
preliminary to the hearing. When he
drew from his valise, among other things,
the journal of the Constitutional Con-
vention, bulky volume, Chief Justice
Fuller exclaimed in amazement:
care you going to read that book"
"Well, not exactly, your honor. You
have not been in the State in the past
IA months. But they have made a
Constitution here and everybody had to
do some talking"
At this point the court adjourned for
supper and reassembled at 7. p. m.
Mr.. Wise resumed and from time to
time dashed the Virginia leaders by
name with rank sarcasm and ridicule
until Chief Justice Fuller interrupted
reminding him that he was in a court of
law, engaged in consideration of grave
constitutional questions in which such
personal illusions were irrelevant and
out of place, and requesting Mr.. Wise
to confne himself to the argument of
the case. Mr.. Wise apologized and
promised to stick to his text, which he
did not do, resorting again and again
to the same tactics, though without using
names.
Mr.. Wise contended that the demo-
cratic leaders of the State had conspired
to supplant the government to which
they had sworn allegiance. The execu-
tive, the legislature and Others con-
nected with the State had, he said, be-
trayed the constitution, had raised a
strange flag and were sailing under false
colors They were bound, he claimed,
under the Underwood constitution, and
by having thus plighted her faith Vir-
ginia resumed her place in the union.
To get rid of that, he said, d vote of the
people was absolutely necessary, and
that could only be had by submission Of
new constitution for ratification.
Mr.. Wise referred to the journal of
the convention and argued that its pro-
ceedings did not conform to the charter