Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-07-07
Wood County aud the Congressional
candidate.

| WOVu COunty Nnu the CONgrcsStOhh
candidate.
Under this heading the Sentinei this week
contains the following paragraphs con-
corning the career OF Hon. Asher Cook as a
citizen and Republican, the most Of
which is news TO us, and adds materially
TO his fitness for the position, In our esti-
nation, for which the JOURNAL last week
recommended him
We have differed in many things with
Judge Cook, yet we take pride in him. In
looking over his career IRON the time when,
as young man he worked at hauling
stone on the Maumee and Western Re
serve road and afterwards as a plasterer,
then law student in his native town, af-
terwards in college in foreign land, pay
ing his expenses with money earned by his
own hard labor; afterwards as County At
toruey, Probate Judge, and then as lead
ing practitioner at the Wood county bar,
we find much that is commendable.
The first time we ever saw Mr.. Cook was
% years ago the past 4th of July, at Port
age. Boy as we then was, we rather ad
mired the mettle of the man. He stood on
the platform at a public meeting speaking
in denunciation Of the Kansas Nebraska
bill, then just passed. Around him were
excited men who were displeased with what
he said. They were democrats and he was
a democrat, or as they called him 'bolt.
er." II looked very much for time as
If lie would be thrown from the platform
by violence, so threatening aud excited
were the demonstrations. Mr.. Cook stood
his ground bravely and deicd his assail-
ants and made his speech. That was the
first Republican speech ever made in Wood
county. In that the speaker demanded a
new party, one that had the courage which
neither the Whig nor Democratic party
had, to grapple with slavery. John Rus
sell, of Bloom, Asher Cook and Eber VII
son, OF Perrysburg, aud one other whose
name we do not now recall (rerliaps J. r.
Tracy, of lake, all democrats at that
time, called n meeting afterwards, in which
they declared their inability to go further
with the democratic party and their VIII
iingness to join with any organization that
had the courage to combat with slavery
This was the beginning Of the republican
party in Wood. Since that time Mr.. Cuok
has bean consistent republican, represent
ing his county in the Legislature and as n
member OF the Constitutional Convention.
The next time we remember Mr.. Cook
was in Virginia, where he begged Gen.
Cox's permission to lead liis men to the
assistance Of their comrades, then engaged
In an uneven struggle with the rebels at
Scnrey Creek, four miles away, the noise
OF battle being within distinct hearing.
We do not sny these words in the way of
an encominm or anything of the sort.
We said at the outset, that in looking over
his career from boyhood, starting as he
did in the hnmblest walks of life, amid
poverty that we rather felt pride in him
AZ Wood county citizen. We think his
record is such that no man from his coun
ty will be ashamed Of it, nor withhold n
reasonable pport-at least we feel assur-
ance that the intelligent delegate from
Wood will give Mr.. Cook fair treatment.
Let il not be said of II Wood county man
that he was slaughtered in the house of
his friends.
1t is the custom in all counties where
candidate is presented, for his own coun-
ty to give their man solid vote, so long
as there seems a reasonable chance Tor
him. There is nothing, we believe, in
Judge Cooks case which should make it
an exception. To attempt to divide the
vote in such a case wonld give rise to i'll
tecling, which would be productive of
mischief directly. It's always suicidal
unless based ON some very good and tangi.
BILE reason.
This is matter that should receive
the serious consideration of the delegates
This rule always prevails in every county
and always has we believe in Wood. A
| regard for common fairness should insure
its reasonable observance by every delegate