Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-21

what IS the organic law under which
we live? is lowering between heaven and
earth This Is not any partial attack:
we go to the roots Of the whole thing
We take sile ground that the Constitution
of Virginia as proclaimed by the conven-
ton of 19o1-1sO2. Is not, and never has
been, the organic law of this Sta:e We
attack it, in the first place. upon ths
ground that the members OF the con-
vention never took the oath, though the
necessity of their doing SO was made ap-
parent to them by the debates; and, for
that reason. all that they did was null
and void and Of no effect. we take the
further position that they had the right
to ordain it. and the Governor no riSht
to proclaim it. We take the further
ground that their action was ultra wires,
when they not only revised and amended
the Constitution, which they were con-
vened to do but further ordained inws
which destroyed existing rights of citi-
zenS. And on all those grounds. we claim
not only in fact but in substance that
the acts of that convention were null
void, ultra wires and OF no effect. And,
If our contention prevails, It must result
in a political revolution in the political
machinery Of the State, And | fully con-
cur NEST heartily, in the suggestion thai
the chief justice might very properly aa
here, and that is suggestion which came
think u ful; bench G7or' this que1tloH IS no
n thai. tire nag..,,f:lc en,i Importance
Of the filtration deu'ant: So, let US name
tho 18th of November, with the under
standin;, i'i,t We will have the chief jus
tice here II he will come
DEEMED IT AN HONOR
Here Mr.. Wise interjected his sentiment.
concerning the attacks which had been
made upon him for representing the ne
groes in their fight against the Constitu-
ton. He deemed it an honor he said.
that he should have been chosen to re-
present the black men of Virginia. They
had come to one who had always looked
with disfavor upon any attempted level
ing of the social ties They had come TO
an ex-Confederate who was still an IN
converted rebel" He would consider
himself a moral coward and q bastard
lawyer il H.. lad refused TO represent h 8
clients when they had made arrangements
for compensation, satisfactory 10 him. He
regretted ssre t:.hind remarks which rad
been made coucer5.ing him; the anirHad-
versions which some had heaped upon
him, but l.Gnc OF these should deter him
from doins hi= duty as an attorney in the
way he though right and proper He
knew that his opponents were not from
the ranks OF the little minds that had
misconstrued his actions, and ne feared no
unpleasant relations with them,
re Closed with ItiS statement LE-L Tue
negro had as much right is the white
man to invoke the judgment of our courts.
His litigation was not an attack upon any
citizen, or class Of citizens. of the Com
monwealth of Virginia. but the leading
question he would raise should b. Is
the new Constitution constitutional
Attorney General Anderson replied very
briefly to Mr.. Wise. He said that only
those lawyers who realized they had
weak case made attacks upon opposing
counsel. AS for him and his colleagues.
they had too much confidence in the JUS
tice OF their cause TO deem it necessary
to indulge in criticism of counsel on the
other side, even if they considered such
criticism Just and proper
We will not now anticipate discussion
of the case upon its merits. rsmsgksd
ate the Importance TO all the people OF
the great questions involved in the H.
counsel for the Commonwealth have DeeR
no doub. that under the adiudicatiors Of
State will be vindicated, and the attack
being made upon her Constitution and
government must fail"
After the agreement whereby the stare
covenants to attempt no further pro-
cedure in any other court unless notice
thereof is served on Captain Wise alt
his associates had been drawn, 1t wa
signed by the parties to the agreement
and the lawyers in the case left the thst
deserted courtroom