TRANSACTIONS OF THE THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE VIRGINIA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, HELD AT GREENBRIER WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, AUGUST 6th, 7th and 8th, 1901. WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, TUESDAY, August 6th, 1901. Mr. R. S. Thomas, of Smithfield, of the Executive Committee, called the Association to order at 11 o'clock A. M., in the ballroom and said: In the absence of the Chairman of the Executive Committee, the duty devolves upon me of calling this meeting to order. The inclemency of the weather has necessitated our holding the meeting in this hall. As the passage of people along that gallery causes some noise, and as Judge Lewis' voice is not very strong, I have to request that you keep as quiet as you can and give him all the attention possible. I have now the pleasure of introducing to you Judge L. L. Lewis, President of the Association for this year, who will now deliver his address. (Applause.) Judge Lewis then read his address. (See Appendix.) The President then announced the following committees: Committee on Publications: John S. Barbour, of Culpeper; Rosewell Page, of Richmond, and Willis B. Smith, of Peters Committee to Recommend Officers: W. A. Jones, of Warsaw; L. R. Watts, of Portsmouth; G. D. Gray, of Culpeper; Marshall Hanger, of Staunton, and S. C. Graham, of Tazewell. The President: Next in order is the report of the Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. Eugene C. Massie, of Richmond, Secretary and Treasurer: Mr. President, I will not read these reports, but will simply state for the information of the Association that we have now 431 active members and 44 honorary members, making a total of 475. The total number of active members at the close of the last annual meeting was 429, instead of 433, as reported in Volume XIII. We have lost during the past year 15 members, 2 by removal to the honorary list, 7 by death, 4 by resignation, and 2 have been dropped; and we have gained 17. As Treasurer, I report a balance on hand July 1, 1901, of $989.79, which is less by $422.53 than the balance on hand at the same time last year. This difference is due to the fact that the cost of printing Volume XIII of our Reports, which was 390 pages, amounted to $781.66-$255.56 more than the cost of the preceding volume; and it is further due to the fact that the cost of the John Marshall Celebration amounted to $1,959.94, while the receipts only amounted to $1,502.36, leaving an excess of expenditures amounting to $457.58. Notwithstanding these large and unusual demands upon the treasury, I am happy to announce that the Association is in a prosperous and growing condition. There are no outstanding obligations, and our resources for the coming year will be amply sufficient to meet the demands upon the treasury. (Applause.) (See Reports at end of Minutes.) The President: The report of the Executive Committee is the next business in order. Mr. R. S. Thomas read the report of the Executive Committee. (See Report at end of Minutes.) The President: The next business is the report of the Committee on Admissions. Mr. E. E. Stickley, Chairman of the Committee on Admissions, read the first report of the committee. (See Report at end of Minutes.) The President: The report of the Committee on Legislation and Law Reform. (No response.) Next is the report of the Judiciary Committee. Mr. J. C. Parker, of Franklin: Mr. President, I believe I have the honor of being chairman of that committee. I wish to say that the duties we were appointed to perform are just at this time entrusted to the Constitutional Convention. I am glad to say that a member of the special committee appointed a few years ago to make a report to the Association on this subject is the honorable chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Convention. They seem to be about as slow in taking action on the subject entrusted to their care as the committee of this Association has been. I hope, however, that they will not be quite so slow, because the Bar Association has been considering this subject for twelve or thirteen years, and has never taken any action on the subject. I do not believe that the Constitutional Convention will be in session quite as long as that, and I feel sure that its Judiciary Committee, of which Mr. Hunton is chairman, will make some report. I am glad to say, because I was appointed to make a report on the subject to the Association some years ago, that the Judiciary Committee of the Convention, as it seems at present, will probably recommend some changes in our system; and those changes will probably be in line with the report made by myself to this Association some years ago. What will be their final determination I suppose not even they themselves know, but the whole matter, as I said in the beginning, is in their hands, and your committee has, therefore, no present connection with the subject. The President: The next business in order is the report of the Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar. Mr. W. M. Lile, of the University of Virginia: As chairman of that committee I will say that the report has been prepared, but I have not yet been able to get the members together to sign it. I therefore ask that further time be given us. Next The President: The report will be allowed to go over. is the report of the Committee on Library and Legal Literature. (No response.) Next after that is the report of the Committee on Grievances. (No response.) The report of the Committee on International Arbitration. (No response.) Mr. Massie: I wish to give notice, Mr. President, of the following proposed amendments to the Constitution and to the By-Laws. 8. Committee on Presentments, to consist of one member from each of the Judicial Circuits of the State as now constituted. |