The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-17
BLACKSTONE MAY
HOLD NH|PHAND
Said That He Will Attempt to
Delay Vote Until Expiration
Of Thirty Days.
TIE HANDS OF AssEMBLY
Only Way to Remove Him Then
Would Be to Call Extra
Session.

Revived by an interesting sugSes-
ton concerning constitutional llmita-
tiops upon the General Assembly, tie
blackstone removal proceedings are
being freely discussed again. and the
belief is growing that the accused
iurist is In a position to give the hd-
mjnistration a great deal of trouble
before he is finally relieved OF the
judicial etmine.
After the House Committee for
Courts Of Justice had reported in favor
of removal the two branches, by joint
resolution, gave Judge Blackstone the
twenty days notice required by the
Constitution. which notice was TO the
effect that on March 25th the General
Assembly would proceed to consider
the question of his removal from ofhce
for cause" In the meantime judge
Blackstone announced that though he
accepted service of tho notice, lie did
so without waving any OF his rights.
and that he would return here on March
25th: would appear before the Legisla-
ture. and would proceed TO exhaust
every right given him under the Con-
stitution OF the State.
New Point Raised.
The point now raised Is that the
Legislature is not permitted by the
Constitution to extend a regular session
for longer period than thirty days.
The twenty days notice 10 Judge
Blackstone will mature ON March 2bth,
and the extended session Will expire
BY limitation on April 7th 1t cannot
be extended an hour longer, and any
act done after midnight of that date
would be. void and OF no effect. The
only remedy would be an extraordinary
session to which both the Governor
and the members of the General AS.
sembly are opposed
Thus 1t can be readily seen that IL, in
exha,isting his constitutional right, as
he terms It, Judge Blackstone should
consume the thirteen days before a
vote can he taken. he would hold the
whip hand. and would either remain
on the bench until the next regular
session or force the calling of an extra
session before lie could he removed
1t is suggested that the accused jurts'
| had thought out all this before ne
made his first announcement that he
intended to fight to the last ditch
Another Question.
Another interesting question arises
| If an extra session should be found
| necessary, 1t is serious question
whether the record made up in the
case at the regular and eXtenGed ses-
| sions could be used. 1t is held by
some that in the event of such a sit
| uation the whole matter might have
to be taken up afresf and gone over
| from the start. There is no doubt
| about the first proposition. aAa If judge
| Blackstone is TO be constitutionally re,
! moved at the G. tended session ina
i vote must be taken in both houses
within thirteen days from the Date OF
| reassenbling on March 18th. /.
Before Judge Blackstone left the city
| some of his friends stated that in ms
| final fight before the Legislature Mr.
/ r. e. Bickford, of Newport News
| would probably be his leading counsel
| Judge Blackstone would neither deny
| nor affirm this statement, but his man
/ ner of discussing 1t seemed TO Indicate
/ that 1t might be true. MIR. Blckforc
| was one of his principal witnesses
1 from among the bar of Newport News
4 If Judge Blackstone should. upon M
reappearance, Introduce strong counsel
| who would raise every point under
| which he claims protection against tnt
| present method of procedure. and argue
i them fully. 1t might be that the tins
Fthus consumed, in addition to that re
/ quired for the Introduction and discus
] sion of further testimony, would carry
| the case beyond the limits of the thirty
/ DAYS extension. in which event one o
! the two results outlined would ineNl
J tahly follow