Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-04-01
THE POLITICAL FIELD.
DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPERS ON
SENATOR DANIELS PLEA
IO2 HILL.

DEIuOChAllC NH W OF al Eho Wv
SENATOR DANIELS PLEA
IO2 HILL.
From the Clarke Courior.1
Senator John W. Daniel, at the request Of
the editor of the Richmond Dispatch, furnish
es that paper with letter nearly two columns
in length, in which he defends the public
record of Senator ill and pronouces as very
unjust the attacks made upon the New York
Senator. In doing this he blunders into an
attack upon the Democratic opponents of Mr.
H i'll quite as severe as that he complains of
when he says that at the time Mr.. Hill was
fighting to defeat the force bill they were in
mbination with the Republicans II
Senator Daniel had defended and praised Mr.
Hill without severely criticsing those who dc
not look with favor upon his self-seekine
methods, his letter might have done some
good, but as it is, it would have.been better il
he had not allowed himself to join in the
spite of newspaper controversy over choice
for the Presidency. When Senator Daniel
was first elected to the Office he holds, it was
sharply said he had received rewards earned
by another, but we thought then, as we think
now, that every person should do his duty
according to the means at his command with.
out demanding special rewards for it. and
that the people had right to consult theil
interests Independent of personal claims fol-
services rendered.
[From the Rockbridge County News.l
1t strikes the ordinary citizen as rather an
extraordinary proceeding that senator OF
the United States, from Virginia. just re-elec.
ted to his position by the unanimous vote of
its legislators, should step aside from his
duties to put into print a special plea for the
Democratic candidate for the Presidency who
is most unpopular with the masses of the
Democratic party in the State. and at time
when the spirit OF antagOnism to that candi-
date is very decided Such has been the &C.
day last published in the Richmond Dispatch
twO-column article, nominally plea for
fair play and harmony, but really plea for
the nomination OF the candidate he wants. 1t
is written with great skill and much force,
but the sum and substance of it is recapitula-
ton of the glorious record and exalted merits
of David B. Hill. At the same time it is not
wanting in sly digs at Grover Cleveland and
his friends. No more able OF ardent plea for
the support Of Hill could, we believe, have
been penned by the accomplished editor of the
New Sun.
But we think MI Daniel will find himself
mistaken. A wise Virginia statesman if not a
Virginia orator, Mr. Jefferson, announced as
maxim that you can always trust the PEG
pie. They aggregate more wisdom than Mr..
Daniel and they justly recognize that they
Will serve their party best by killing off the
least worthy candidate, and if we mistake not
the Hill man who tries to go to Chicago as a
delegate. The people have trusted Senator
Daniel with high official position, but they
have not delegated to him all their preroga-
tives and this they would have him under
tand. They bitterly resent this action of his
as piece of high handed assurance and note
our prediction-John W. Daniel will have to
do something of more real merit than he has
yet shown capacity for, to reinstate himself
again in the popular favor which his election
loo xriJ,fA cfr tod hot n
From the Salem Times-Register.]
Senator Daniel and the other friends of Mr.
Hill should also "call their dogs off of MI.
Cleveland and accord him an equal show in
the RAGE, or in other words practice towards
Cleveland what they preach about Hill.
THE CLEVELAND AND HILL FEELING IN THE
VIRGINIA DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE.
From the Richmond correspondent of the Balti-
more Sun.
One of the most, if not the most, prominent
member Of the committee, man in a position
to know, says the fifty members of the execu=
tive and central committees are about equally
divided between Cleveland and Hill.
There was no talk of Presidential candi-
dates during the session Of the committee, but
before and after the assembly Of that body
this was the topic of talk among its members.
Capt; Ham shepperda, close friend Of Sena-
"
committee, said to The SUMS correspondent
that Hill has the Virginia politicians with
him, ''bpt MI. Cleveland, said Mr.. Shepherd,
"has the masses Of the people, Mr.. Shep-
perd is against Cleveland himself, Senator
Echols Of Augusta, one of the most conserya-
tive members Of the committee, although
Hill man, concurs in this view. A member
of the executive committee, who is regarded
as one of the shrewdest politicians in Virginia,
although for Hill, makes similar admission
Of f,(aVpIa u0'S STRENGTH with tho
Chairman Ellyson and nearly all of the men,
bers OF the State committee express the opinion
that the convention will send an uninstructed
delegation to Chicago.
Committee, in his paper, the Norfolk
rirginian.]
A careful canvass of opinion at the recent
meeting Of the State Democratic Executive
Committee in Richmond, Thursday, demon
strated the fact that outside division of opin
ion existing in ths Cities and in the Second,
Third and Fourth districts, Mr.. Cleveland
had preponderance of support among the
Democratic masses throughout the State. In
the Valley and Southwest Virginia, as in the
First district, the feeling vas almost Hnani.
also clear, even among the admirers Of sena-
tor Hill, that his trip South had not added to
his popularity, while the OFerralI episode
had unquestionably injured him. Another
CONCLUSION reached was, that the Democracy
of Virginia was not welded 10 the interest of
any one man, but that.it was keenly alive to
the success of the National Democracy and
that the warmest friends OF Mr.. Cleveland as
we'll as the strongest admirers of Senator
Hill, would readily join hands and unite in
this success
From the Richmond Dispatch.]
Several of the members Of the two commit
tpac chn1 Inv Dicno fob TO
tives and requested to give their impressions
in respect Of the choice of the people of their
sections for the presidential nominee as be-
tween Hill and Cleveland
Mr.. Rufus B. Merchant of Fredericksburg
said 1.-The majority OF the Democrats in my
section, / believe, are for Cleveland, though
Hill has many supporters. They, however,
are rapidly coming to the conclusion that un-
less the Democracy of New York will subor-
dinate personal preference to party success
it would be unwise to nominate either Of the
distinguished gentlemen
Hon. Rufus A. Ayers of Scott, said that the
people Of the Southwest were he thought,
practically unanimous for Cleveland as 8
matter OF personal choice. The delegates,
however, who would go to the National con-
ventIon from that section would recognize
that they were not sent there to press the per-
sonal claims OF any man, but to do the best
they could for the supremacy of the Demo-
cratic party. There was no decided oppos-
ton to Hill in the Southwest fhe situation
was simply this: Not that the people loved
Hill less, but they loved Cleveland more.
Hon. William A. Anderson of Lexington,
stated that he could not assume to speak for
the people of his district. His opinion was,
however, that if they had to choose between
Cleveland and Hill they would nominate the
former, though Hill had some strong friends
in his section. If the people were left entire:
lY free to make the nomination he thought,
q matter of nOIICV thew xVOnl6 mr. Eo
either Hill or Cleveland
Hon. John F. Ryan of Loudoun, said his
people were divided, but he thought they were
very unanimous in the opinion that the dele
gates to the National convention should 90
uninstructed, ascertain who was the man
,,,oct lil1alu to win and then vote for fb q