Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-04-13

me of what he thought of it. That was
TWO months previous to Capt. Wise 8 pro.
clamation IN the Dispatch" and in
THAT PROCLAMATION
[ have the first intimatiOn of his views of
what he had been asked two months be-
fore to give his opinion and advice upon
How was this?
| might still further demonstrate the in
accuracy, lncOnsequence and futllity of
Capt Wise's prOnuncidnle7tO /; but it was
only necessary to prick its glitteriDg bub-
Giles; and this l have done. Even this
would have been unnecessary, had not
Capt. Wise so long enjoyed a prominence
in the party which lends his inconsiderate
Gus character that may impose on the
thOughtless.
VIM. MALONE.
What Hon. John S. Wise Thinks of Col.
w. c. Elan.
[From the Richmond Wing, March sth.l
RICHMOND. VA. April 5th, 1885,
William G. Elan Esq, Ifeuilian s. Va.:
Dear Sir,-Several recent publications
by you, expressing opposition to my views
on the unit rule and party organization
have recently appeared. In 80 far as you
differ with me on these points, am glad
to have your ideas. You may be right and
[ may be wrong. l do not think [ am.
but if find / am mistaken l am open to
conviction, and, whether convinced or not,
| stand ready to abide The decision on these
points of fairly constituted and conven-
ed convention of my party.
1t seems. however, that you, being asked
nv (lo10neI Wo1tZ n olive V0ur sSnnini0n Of
the W Use address, whether it means real
fight or not. &c. - have seen fit to go be-
You'd that request and discuss Wise, and
under the &c" you have chosen to be-
come the interpreter of my motives. critic
of my intentions. and expounder Of my
temperament and intellectual traits. All
this was done quite trenchantly and airlly
by you. Having assumed this censorship,
you will not Of course betray surprise or
annoyance if / retort IN kind, and now
and then place you
ON THE STOOL OF CRITICISM.
Of course do not hope to succeed in
this line as well as you have done. l &C.
cord to you fairly won pre-eminence in
your peculiar talent for recklessly tramp
ling, with reckless statement, upon the
feelings of others, and yet doing so with
such boldness and plausiblli as to make
your charges pass current with the CARE
less reader.
wish you had explained how Colonel
Volt acquired his military title, and why
you felt called upon TO furnish this avOwed
enemy of our managerial policy" and
free-lance cavalier, columns of assault up
on member of your party with whom
you have always proffssed friendly feel
ing. Neither your medium nor your style
Of hoy, oil ho..
mony. Still [ waive the enquiry.
may be cynical, but for long time l
have thought I detected in certain men of
our party more than willingness to drive
off prominent men until they can them
selves become leaders. While
4HAYE ALMOST wEPT
to see man after man Of our old warriors,
worn out with prickings from behind,
| sheath their trusted swords and fall away
from the front rank of our battle, / have
often thought | saw and heard tie chpckle
of the little fellows, who in these defec-
lions see tie chance of their own advance
meDt. Your weapons have always been
more powerful as pruning knives against
your friends than as swords against your
enemies. If you ard Others keep up your
fire as ste adl]y In the future as in The
past, you will all have chances to be
leaders, and, unopposed, be candidates for
Tie fat Offices you describes SO lushily as
Ell ough 10 keep ANYBODY sleek and happy.
Go en-. "Among the blind the one.eyed
are Kings" Some men would rather be big
men in mall party than small men in a
big one. Or your rush at me may be from
force of habit. pray you. do not be angry
at my smile if I liken the function you
lave assumed to yourself in our party for
years past, to that Of brave but unreaSon.
ing four-foottd friend. Every wellregu-
lated farmer keeps G collie to drive the
pigs cut of the garden. For years you
have faithfully rushed upon and seized ev-
cry Struggling Republican who has tried
to poach upon the power preserves OF the
managerial policy" of our party. You
have always done your work bravely,
but not always liscreetly. Sometimes,
when only expected to pull by the ears or
nip at the heel, you
HAVE TAKEN THRoAT-HoLD
and slaughtered. But you have had great
sport and moderate success. Victim after
victim has been bounced through The
fence, you barking and he squealing, and
you have come bounding back, plucky and
bloody, as the luckless intI uder trotted SUI
leniy away into the pasture of oblivion,
You have made a reputation at your bus,
mess. In fact, it is your whole stock in
| trade. But, Mr.. Elan. let me say word
to you in all seriousness. Take care that
| you do not overdO your part. Take care
that you do not ''get the wrong pig by the
ear"
My letter means no break with our
| chairman, unless, under such bad advice
as yours. he forces it. And even then
| Will part with him IN sorrow, not in anger
hoping, but doubling, that he will find liz
you and your associates as true friend
| as | have ever been and am to him.
You state that there is reason to be-
lieve that his (my) former enemies Dem
ocrats and their alliesl had at least some
NOTICE Of what he ~ was about before
Gly recent letter appeared. The imputa
tlen is unjust. AS you do not vouch fol
this as fact make no issue with you
! bpt asyo state there is such belief and
| have taken the pains to give it currency
l now inform you that whosOever believes
it is mistaken, and whatsoever circulates
that report henceforth will do so wilfully
and mt ndacionsIy.
1t was COL siderate in you to seek te
palilate MY
HOT-BLOODED IMpRUDENCE
in publishing my letter. by the plea that
am lot accustomed to deliberation and
reticence. | am always thankful fol
| friendly criticism. Even when it is harsh
! or disparaging it enables man to exercise
introspection and amend his defects. 1t
is better than flattery a thousand fold.
know l am not prudent and thoughtful
and reticent like thu late editor of the
Wig. have often felt your superiority
over me in these respects, and resolved to
make some of your calm, deliberative ut.
taraDppS my at n6V and mOdnla for fpCurp
guidance. In fact, two of your choicest
productions lie before me as demonstra-
| ton of your overflow in the qualities
| wherein I am lacking. One is the plat
form written by you On which was placed
| when l ran for Governor, the other is the
paper which you recently presented to the
| National Committee On the subject of