Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-06-12
EDITOR LAND TO
EDITOR GLASS.


of mine that appeared in the Blackstone
Courier of May lst. Did l think for 8
moment this claim upon your part was
warranted by the editorial in question
or sincerely made, i should hasten tc
make apology. first TO myself, secondly
to you and lastly to the people of the
State.
Your whole letter is based upon the
statement from you that I have threat
ened to assail your character as a pri
vate citizen: to quote your exact words
in view of the threat to assail my char
aeter as private citizen in the event
that | shall, as an aspirant for Cover
nor, discuss the public record of any
other candidate Now, l most EN-
phatically deny that there is anything
in the spirit or the language of my edi
torial which would excuse, much less
warrant, such an assertion from you
Nor do i propose to be pilloried as 1
character assassin before the people o.
Virginia by any choleric and sulphurou.
politician for the time-serving purpose
of exploiting his egotism or giving ven
to his vituperation.
81 note well what you say, that il
criticisms one must tell either the truti
or falsehood. If the former all right
If the latter the consequences must b.
accepted. My code of ethics has taught
me that he who wilfully misleads, Oh
subverts the truth for a purpose. j:
equally reprehensible as he who delib
erately utters a falsehood. BY the
adroit use of five words where l useC
four, and two of these in the singular
where my language was in the plura
attaching thereto such language a.
best adapts itself to your designs), the
entire meaning as well as the words ol
my article is grossly subverted.
might, with propriety dismiss this sub.
ject without further comment, attach.
ing TO this the editorial in question, anc
feel assured that every unbiased mind
which can understand plain language,
will agree that your Interpretation
thereof is unwarranted and your acri
mony indefensible and inexcusable.
I'm view, however. that some few
might be misled, and with the further
purpose of dissipating such erroneous
impressions as may have been made
upon the public by your article will gc
more into detail.
1T will be borne in mind that my
editorial is predicated upon the correct
ness of the Washington special in re.
fiecting your purposes. 1t will also be
noted that | distinctly stated that
hoped it did not. Now, what does this
Washington special say as regards pro.
posed attacks? 1t is as follows:
The campaign will be bitter one,
Records will be searched with a thor.
oughness not known in recent inter.
party contests in Virginia If any pro-
spective candidate is conscious of ANY
(the capitals are mine) 'act of his
which will not bear the close scrutiny
of his political opponents. he would bet.
ter get out. or get up some water
proof explanations, or get a gun
"Now what could this mean if it did
not refer to private characters? Who
could think of getting a gun for dis
cussion of mans public record? Now,
what was my comment upon this? 1t
was as follows:
We suspect criticisms in this. case
would extend to records as private
citizens as well as records and non.
records of public acts.
''Now note the difference between my
words and those you profess to quote
from me. / say, records as private
citizens. while you quote me as saying
your record as a private citizen.
Mine refers to the methods of the pro-
posed campaign. Yours is charge
that l threatened to assail your char
acter as private citizen. There is not
a threat conveyed in any portion or my
article. There is a suggestion. This is
that if Gt will be noted that have
given you the credit of the doubt all
the way in the article) the sentiments
OF Mr.. Glass are properly reflected in
the above quoted special, we dare say
he will be accommodated. The only in
timation is that if you start campaign
OF this nature then, perhaps, or we
dare say you will be accommodated.
There is no intimation that | or any
other special person would do this.
And repeat here just what / said in
the original article, that if you or any
one else for that matter, begin a cam
palgn of that sort, no doubt you OF
they will be accommodated. Such cam
paigns have been conducted, in fact
one such is now being conducted in tn,
Eighth District.
GAS for my position in such matters
have never approved campaigns O
personal abuse or personal attacks
therefore, could not instigate one
In fact, do not approve going upo,
the hustings in interparty contests
Those who are readers of my pape
know this of me. They know this ha
ever been my position, it mattered no
whether the candidate was support
ing favored it or not. AS for the join
debate feature, this is especially re
pulsive to me. l do not object to tn
criticism of public records. In fact, m
article, from which you misquoted, dis
tinctly says:
1--WE see no objection to any prope
criticism of the political record or ab
sence of record of any candidate, sine
public men who offer for public ofiic
should, in large measure, be judge