Camm. Patteson: I beg to amend that, and ask this committee to invite the foremost law reformer of this country, that splendid example of a lawyer, David Dudley Field. W. H. Sands: I may be wrong, but as I understand it the Executive Committee are clothed with power to do as they choose in this matter. We should put a stop to such motions, because there will be no end to them. One gentleman will want one man and one another. Last year we decided to leave it in the hands of the Executive Committee, and they have thus far shown their willingness to select men able to prepare addresses to be read before us, and we can depend they will do their duty in the future as they have done in the past. The President: The chair will say that, as he understands the motion, this is not an instruction, but a request, that this invitation be extended by the Executive Committee to some eminent law reformer. This does not refer to the appointment that they are required by the constitution to make, but an additional one. They will make their selection under the constitution as heretofore, but, as I understand it, this suggestion is that they be requested to make another. W. R. McKenney, of Petersburg: The motion was that the speaker selected be an eminent law reformer. George L. Christian: I move to lay the whole subject on the table. R. M. McIntyre, of Warrenton: I would suggest in regard to enlightenment on this subject, that I do not see how we can get any more enlightenment than we got from our distinguished friend, Mr. Carter, of the New York bar, at the last meeting of the Association. Mr. Carter has examined it thoroughly, and Judge Robertson gave us his views on the opposite side, and I cannot see that an extra paper would be of any value. The President: A motion to lay on the table is not debatable. Camm. Patteson: It is not directly mandatory upon the committee to invite him; it is simply a request. They can accede to it or not as think proper. The motion to lay on the table was carried. George L. Christian: I move that we now adjourn sine die. Carried. JAMES C. LAMB, Secretary. ANNUAL REPORTS. 1890. REPORT OF THE TREASURER. To the Virginia State Bar Association : As required by the by-laws of your Association, the undersigned makes the following report for the year ending June 30, 1890: I. Receipts and Disbursements. As will appear from the accounts returned herewith (which have been examined and certified by the Auditing Committee), the total receipts for the current year have been $1,822.15, as follows: Admission fees from 98 members at $5 each Annual dues from 172 members at $5 each Add balance on hand per last report Total receipts, as above And the total expenditures have been $490 00 860 00 472 15 The expenditures are classified as follows: Annual dinner at White Sulphur Springs, July 25, 1889, $569 25 Stenographer and other expenses at White Sulphur Springs 69 55 30 00 Leaving in the treasury a balance of Salary of Secretary and Treasurer Printing, wrapping and mailing reports of first annual meeting Incidental expenses, Postage, blank books, forms, station 200 00 347 50 89 38 $1,305 68 II. Outstanding Obligations. There are at present no outstanding obligations of the Association. III. Resources and Probable Expenses. The resources of the Association for the coming year are estimated at. $2,116.47, as follows: Balance now in the treasury Annual dues from 320 members at $5, Total estimated resources, as above.. $516 47 1.600 00 $2.116 47 The probable expenses of the Association for the coming year are es timated at $1,375, as follows: I take this opportunity to direct the attention of the members of the Association to the fact that their dues for the current year beginning July 1st, 1890, are payable, and should be paid, at this meeting. Respectfully submitted, Hygeia Hotel, Old Point Comfort, Va., June 30, 1890. July Oct. I. Nov. 15. 16. 23. 1890. Jan'y I. 10. To paid postage on report of Committee on Legal Educa For postage stamps For postage stamps Secretary's salary, first quarter Postage on annual proceedings E. Waddey for printing and binding annual pro- Postage on addresses, &c Secretary's salary, second quarter 6 80 I OO 3 80 350 50 I 50 50 00 22 50 325 00 9 00 50 00 REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. To the Virginia State Bar Association: Your committee respectfully report that on July 26th, 1889, at White Sulphur Springs, they proceeded to organize as required by By-Law XII. The former chairman and secretary were re-elected. Every member of the committee was present, including Messrs. Micajah Woods and George M. Harrison, members elected July 25th, 1889, for three years then next ensuing. Your committee refer you to the report of your Secretary and Treasurer for gratifying evidences of your prosperity and growth. Starting two years ago with a membership of eighty-three, you now number largely over three hundred, while your constituency represents the very best names and elements of the State Bar. Such a constituency and growth give promise of great usefulness and more rapid growth in the future; but both these desired ends may be greatly accelerated and more certainly assured by the individual interest and activity of members. Your committee report that they have, as directed by resolution found on page 27 of your first annual report, prepared and procured from the Legislature of Virginia, an act incorporating the Association. Said act will be found on page 634, Acts '89-'90. As prepared and urged by your committee, power was given the Association "in its corporate name to take, institute, and prosecute any action, suit, or other proceeding in the courts of the land, or elsewhere, for the purpose of punishing or disbarring unworthy members of the profession, or persons assuming its functions, which may now be taken and prosecuted by any natural person." It will be seen that a proviso was added by the General Assembly "that the party so proceeded against shall be a member of this corporation." In the opinion of your committee the addition of the proviso was unfortunate and ill-advised. The approaches to this Association are so guarded as to make it difficult for unworthy members of the Bar to enter it; but if, by oversight or otherwise, such men do gain admittance, the powers before and now vested in the Association by its constitution and by-laws are very potent to restrain or punish them. It is with reference to that part of the Bar, whether of the profession actually, or only and unwarrantably assuming its functions, which cannot now and never will be able to gain admission to this Association, that the power asked was especially needed. True, provision is made in By-Law IX for proceedings in proper cases against certain members of the profession and persons pretending to be, who are not members of the Association, but the remedy cannot in the nature of things be as direct or as efficient in this case as in the other. The Association did not ask any strange or new power; it merely asked to be vested with such power in this respect as any one of its members now possesses; and it asked for no power to be exercised by itself, only that it might have in its corporate capacity the right and power to invoke the action of already constituted courts and authority, in all such cases, whether against one of its members or others. |