Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-06-07
HOW MONTAGUE HELD HIS
OFFICE.
Fredericksburg Star.)

NEFcueFtchSOUfy St0f.)
Since recriminations aud personali
ties seem to be the only arguments
Mr.. Montague is using in his fight
for the Governorship it seems permis
sible to answer him in the same man
ner, and since it is the boast of his
friends that he is Courage personi-
he'd, we desire to know either from
Mr.. Montague, or from one of his
supporters in this city, why, in the
tirst Bryan. Mckinley campaign, just
before makinga a Bryan speech in this
city, he sent a friend to the Office Of
this newspaper with the request that
no mention or publication be made
OF that speech. The present attor-
ney-general was then United States
District Attorney for the Western
District of this State under President
Cleveland, while the present Con
gresham from the Fourth District.
Mr. Lassiter, was at the same time
District Attorney for the Eastern
District. The latter gentleman
standing with his party and believ-
ing himself right went from place to
place in this State advocating the
election of Mr.. Bryan. His was an
open advocacy and he made speeches
regardless of consequences. His
speeches were published and his
action caused President Cleveland to
remove him from the office he held.
Montague feeling himself between
the devil and the deep blue sea knew
not what course to pursue, but
finally decided upon one not very
courageous to say the least. He
would speak for Bryan, but Mr..
Cleveland should know nothing of
his campaigning and between them
ne aud his friends accomplished the
desired result. We can not say pos.
itively that such a request was made
to papers elsewhere, but as to his act
ION In this city we vouch for the
truth of same. SO the man who
would now be Governor Of Virginia
and who sneers at and abuses his
principal opponent, is himself open
to criticism, and the finger of scorn
is pointed towards his much vaunted
courage. Neither Lassiter nor Mon
tague was rich and probably both
needed their respective offices, but
the fact remains that Lassiter lost
his and Montague continued to draw
his salary. He tumbled from the
District Attorneyship into the Attor-
ney Generalship, and now strives
principally through abuse of the
man who has befriended him in the
past to reach the Gubernatorial
chair. In conclusion we desire to
say to any one who doubts the state
ment here given that same is not
only correct as far as the Star is
concerned, but in addition this same
friend made the same request of the
out-ot-town newspaper correspon-
dents in this city. The only mention
that ever appeared in any newspaper
of that speech was very short squib
in the Free Lance. The editor of the
Star, should any of the facts be ques-
toned, is ready not only to verify
same but is likewise ready to name
the gentlemen, who on behalf of MIR.
Montague, made the request. He is
still friend of the Attorney Gen
eral and one of his prominent supper
ters in his city. The man who hasn't
the courage to stand openly for his
party even at the risk of his office
gets no support from the Star, and we
earnestly trust that he and his ambi-
tion will meet a Waterloo at the Nor
folk convention. Any one of his
three oppanents would be to us far
preferable to Montague because not
one of the three has ever been guilty
of such an action as marked the
visit of Montague to Fredericksburg.