Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-06-30

Mr. Flood.
There has been the most unceasine
effort on the part of the Republicans
assisted by a goodly number of Demo
Gratis in this part of the district, to
bring Mr.. H. d. Flood into distribute
before the people. The excuse given
for this disparagement of him is laid
upon the fact that he had difficulty
with certain Mr.. Flanagan. a Re-
publican, and at that time a member
of the Senate. There is no denying
that he dealt Mr.. Flanagan a blow
which laid him out, but it has always
been claimed by those who knew most
of the trouble that Mr.. Flood acted as
any other man would have acted un.
der the circumstances, and it is the
belief Of most people who are not OF
Mr.. Flannagan's political faith that
the punishment that gentleman re.
ceived was merited. But if in the
heat of passion after the most intense
provocation, given by man y.ho ad.
mittedly can be as provoking as it is
possible to be, man too who is usu.
ally distasteful in his assertion of his
political ideas, and in his political
fellowships, Mr.. Flood should have
allowed himself to get into an alterca
ton. what is there in it about which
Democrats should complaint
One other fault found with him is
that he voted against Gen. Lee for the
Senate. This was no crime. Mr.
Flood forfeited no confidence and sac
riticed no principle when he did SO
He supported his friend, and did il
with that openness and candor which
always characterizes his action, and
the support of a friend, if friendship
be the motive, can never be discredit
able. Apart from these we have heard
nothing which amounts to even The
commonest charge against him.
This feeling against Mr.. Flood ha
of course been accentuated as much al
possible in the interest of other candi
dates or aspirants, who find him il
their way. At Mr.. Floods own home
in his own section of the State no maj
is more popular. He enjoys the es
TEEN, confidence, indeed the affection
of the people of that quarter. Her,
where there has been a combination
of Republican and Democrat
strength to break him down he is pro
badly less known personally than i.
any other portion of the district, ant
this accounts for much OF the feeliu;
engendered amongst the Democrats
They have listened to lis euenlie
without investigating the truthfulnes
OF their assertions. There may be Gel
tain individuals amongst Democrat
who dislike Mr.. Flood on account O
something personal to themselves, blu
that tie party can have ought 70
which to condemn him is beyond be
lief and is unjust to as true and faith
full a Democrat as lives in Virginia.
1t is not we hope political treason t.
say that there were many in the Val
ley who thought Mr.. Flood deserved
the last nomination, and that goo(
politics as we'll as fair treatment die
tated that it should have gone to tn,
eastern eide of the mountain. 1t is {
fact that Mr.. Flood was Individually
stronger in the convention than any
other candidate and that the actor
of the convention in seating the anti
Flood delegates from Nelson county
was not entirely free from criticism
1t cannot be expected that the eastern
Va. portion of this district will for al
time step up and vote for the candi
date dictated by the Valley, and wher
such dictation takes place and they are
forced not only to do this, but at the
same time accept minority candidate
there ought to be little complaint il
they grow callous or forget the
day of the election. How unwise
therefore to gloat over Mr.. Floods
defeat, or assert reasons for it which
tend to belittle him, when 80 much
depends upon his hearty cooperation
in eastern Va. and without whose
hearty support no candidate can be
elected. There must at some time be
concessions made to that quarter, and
when Democratic fights are to be
made in the eastern portion of this
district no man can do more, and no
man has or will give more freely of his
time, talent or means to that end, and
we assert here and now that those
who are 80 free with their denurcia-
ton of him are either personal enemies
or ignorant of the true character of
the man. Our nominee, Judge Quarles,
ought to silence these dangerous
friends, else they may deal him the
same kind of fell blow the Rockbridge
Nea0s dealt Mr.. Glasgow.