Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-10-11
Reply to Mr.. KOwnslar.

After pressing upon the friends
OF party regularity a camel to swal-
low in the shape of a ''bogus conven-
ton expression, We are surprised
that Mr.. KOwnslar should strain at
the gnat we laid before his friends,
in the shape of whining about IL
legal bodies" We don't think he was
in a pleasant frame of mind when he
wrote what he contributes today-he
was evidently not feeling we'll If he
was ever a shoolboy, and we take it
that in this respect he was like other
lads, there was a distinguished poet
and great master of the English Ian
guage who ABUSED" him and every
youngster seeking little learning, as
he spoke of the
whining schoolboy with his satchel.
And shining morning face. creeping like
snail
Unwillingly TO school"
Now, we have no evidence to the
effect that the great Shakespeare did
not know what the common courte-
sizes were between gentlemen, as he
perhaps never undertook to discuss
political meetings, but in speaking
thus we are persuaded to believe that
he never intended to "abuse" the
schoolboys of his day and those for
all time TO come. Webster defines
whining, "to utter a plaintive cry; to
moan with childish noise; x = to
moan basely," and quotes to show its
use, "the whining plover."
But what explanation has Mr..
Kownslar to make for applying the
expression of "bogus" to those
of his personal friends who took part
in the convention that nominal
ed Mr.. Warthen? Before un-
dertaking to cast stone at us for
being abusive, he should have exam
ined what be wrote to see if he was
free of the sin he seems pleased to
charge us with.
However, if Mr.. Kownslar, know
ing us as well as we had hoped he did
having been familiar with the con-
sentative thought and courteous man
ner in which we have discussed pub
lie issues-thinks us capable of using
the expression he mentions in any
other sense than the first definition
by Webster, or as Shakespeare used it,
we whiningly confess he places low
er value upon our conception of what
constitutes friendship than we had
looked for from him.
Mr.. Kownslar speaks of our throw
ing down the gauntlet, and his ac-
ceptance of the issue. Why bless his
heart, we never asked him to set up
his opinion against the Judgment of
a nominating convention, and to ven
tilate it as he has done. He is re-
sponsible for his action on this line,
not the COURIER.
He recites the remarkable action
of the Warren county committee two
years ago, and wants to know wheth-
er we have condoned its ''sin." We
frankly state that when the Warren
committee acted as it did that year,
1t furnished just grounds for meet
ing at that time and appointment of
a new executive committee by the
supporters of the nominating conven-
ton. Our correspondent has declar-
ed that executive committees are but
the agents of the people, and we agree
with him. Here was case in which
the agent exceeded his authority, but
instead of recalling his act and dis
placing him with another agent, he
was permitted to remain unchallenc-
ed in authority, and when, the fol-
lowing year, he called district meet
ings to select delegates to the con-
gressional convention, his action was
endorsed without a single protest.
After the political asset of 1897 was
accepted as a genuine article in 1898, |