Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-02
THANKS DUE HIM.

=
Paradoxical as it may appear. and not
w!thstanding he meant us no good, we can
say In all sincerity that we think Virginia
has reason to thank Mr.. John s. Wise
for cor senurg to attempt the inva!idatlull.
Of her new Constitution. In one way or
another proceedings have been institute!
TO test the constitutions of nearly all the
other Southern States which have re-
stricted the suffrage. and Virginia's
nev organic law could not have expected
10 escape the ordeal. Indeed the trainers
of our Constitution anticipated and courts
ca some such move against 1t. and in reT
viewing the incidents and manoeuvres OF
Mr. Wise's campaign it seems clear that
It was exceedingly fortunate for the state
that he was chosen to leao the attack
and accepted the commission.
The real and cardinal question involved
,cI.re the Circuit Court was the cues
ton of Jurisdiction. Eut Mr. Wise. in his
spectacular and drag-net proceeding,
raised all sorts of irrelevant points. which
brought 10 the fore the merits OF the
case and an exposition of the Constitus
ton He was not only defeated on the
question of jurisdiction. but by his quetsa
les to counsel and the general purport OF
his remarks during the hearing the Chief
Justice indicated a conviction that the
issue had no standing on Its merits before
a Federal tribunal. BY the prodisal1ty
of his contentious counsel for the COM
plainants forced the discussion o.take a
range which virtually evoked from the
Chief Justice the opinion that every
proposition the former had advanced as
challenging the integrity OF the virginia
Constitution had in one form or another
been disposed of by the Supreme Cour'
adversely to the doctrine champloneo ps
Mr.. Wise. On his every line of attack MT
straw either by the arguments OF counsel
for the Commonwealth or by questions
from the Chief Justice. Moreover, the pro-
ceeGinSs, as Mr.. Wise conducted them, and
the fire he drew from MT. Christian. At
torney-General Anderson. and Mr.. JUS
tice Fuller. developed and exposed to
the country q. large. as 1t could not have
been exposed In contention over )ufis-
dic,cn merely. the salient and vital fact
that in the fight for the inviolabil1ty OF
her Constitution Virginia stands for those
relations of the States to the Union which
are the foundation of republican gov
c,rr.en, Size Is not only defending; her
own sovereignty as involved In this
especial case but the general principle
OF State sovereignty. as all the other
States are interested.
!.aradoxical again ass,tt may appear,
urdisnihed and demagoGic as was
Mr. Wise's conduct of his cause
at some stages. he raised the:
issue to one of the greatest dignity in the
scrse of causing recognition of its i'm
port 2ncc to the country 1t large. He has
been tie means of awakening the north
ern mind to the realization that triumph
Of his contentious would not jcopardize
Eirsiria's sovereignty alone. but might
pro vc the beginning Of the end of serious
FEDERAL entertainments on the inherent
inoe feasible and inalienable rights of the
reople Of Northern States to altar and
amend their constitutions and regulate
their own internal affairs as designed
by the fathers. SO far Mr. Wise has
buildcd better than he knew. and al
though the good that is coming from the
evil he would do must be bitter fruit to
him. we iterate that we think he de-
serves the thanks of Virginia. None ot11e,
could in seeking to hurt her have served
her so well.