The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-06

ARCUNlENTS
'Ailtll,o -'ir q, General Anderson and
s MI. Frank wv. Christian Ably
Represent Virginia.
.NNo]W Y. SUPREME COURT.
9 2 Question I Likely to be Decided
8 OIL Matter az Jurisdiction Of
Federal Court.

lrrom$ Our Regular Correspondence
WASHINGTON, II. G., April 5.-rhe ar.
gumcnt OF tho suffrage cases from Nir-s
gina ii,4tho Supreme Court was concluded
this afternoon.
;ANttori1cS-G General Anderson, who began
his argument yesterday concluded To-
day. md then Mr.. Christian, associate
counsel for tic State, made his speech.
MI. Wise then concluded tho argument
IN ~ short speech, and The court rose.
Mr. Anderson ana Mr.. Christian re-
turned to Richmond this afternoon 1T
Is not expected that Il decision OF the
cases Will DO long delayed, ind botl1:the
Acknowledgement aud MI Christian nre
confidcnt8thn the court Will uphold the
consttutionality$o tile suffrage clauses
OF the Nrginln Constitution.
Mr.iAndersont spoke nn hour and TWEEN
ty-five minutes to-day in completion OF
his speech, begun yesterday. lie had
previously covered in his argument the
points raised by Mr.. Wise as to the
nullity ofBthe Virginia Constitution, be-
cause ofRt1e failure OF the members OF
Z the convention to take an oath OF Office,
and their action In proclaimng the Con-
astitutiOn instead of submitting IT 10
popular vote.
85s Jurisdiction Phase.
He devoted some OF ihis time TO dis.
cusslon Of tho jurisdiction Of the court.
and then took aup other features OF tho.
argument Of Mr.. Wise.
The court appeared much interestea IN
the point made by Mr.. Anderson that
feventually all intending voters stood on
( the same level wit bout reference to color
or previous condition.
s85 Tho Attorney-Gcncrnl made an exceed
5ingly able argument, ono OF the best he
has inado III his professional career. At
times he grew very earnest, but 1t was
evident that he restrained his feelings,
and lie was calm throughout.
Il Mr.. Christian devoted much OF lis ar
g,lment to Il discussion of the question OF
Jurisdiction, and his argument on this
point was as clear as could be imagined.
It seemed that tho court could not fall.
to see that it was without Jurisdiction
Tin the case. He was equally clear In his
discussion of the other points raised by
counsel OH the other side, though he did
not devote so much time to any one Of
them as to tho ono OF jurisdictions The
case of the State could not have been
more forcibIy nor moro clearly stated
than II was by Mr.. Christian.
Wise Replies.
Mr.. Wise made Il short speech for the
appellants, aud the court rose. It was
after 4 o'clock when argument was com.
pleted.
x Some OF the lawyers from among tho
members Of Congress who heard tho ar
guments this afternoon said the court
would decide the case on q question OF,
jurisdiction, and not on It's merits. which
they regretted, as they desired an opin-
ion as to the validity of the suffrage
provisions OF the Constitution Of Viz
gl1ia and other Southern States.
James Hayes. the colored lawyer asso-
ciatcd with Mr.. Wise, did not address
the court but, he was one OF the speak
ers at u mass meeting Of colored people
held ut the Zion Baptist Church, In
this city last night Flo made n very
temperate speech. Representative Wash
irtgton Gardner. OF the Third Michigan
District, a Republican, also addressed
the negroes.