Changes

In the postbellum era, Flanagan and his father were active in the Moderate wing of the Republican Party,<ref name=tshabio/> and were popular in their district despite pro-Union viewpoints.<ref name=civilwartoreform/> They attended the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1868–69 as delegates, where they dissented from the final draft of the document, joining [[Radical Republicans]] in supporting the division of Texas into three separate states to resolve regional divides.<ref name=civilwartoreform/>

In the postbellum era, Flanagan and his father were active in the Moderate wing of the Republican Party,<ref name=tshabio/> and were popular in their district despite pro-Union viewpoints.<ref name=civilwartoreform/> They attended the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1868–69 as delegates, where they dissented from the final draft of the document, joining [[Radical Republicans]] in supporting the division of Texas into three separate states to resolve regional divides.<ref name=civilwartoreform/>

From 1870–76, he served in the Texas state Senate from the 5th district and temporarily was elected pro tempore for mid-November 1871 until the end of the Adjourned Session of the 12th Legislature.<ref>[https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeleaders/leadership/ltgovbrowse.cfm Lieutenant Governors of Texas, 1846 - present]. ''Legislative Library Reference of Texas''. Retrieved May 25, 2023.</ref> During Flanagan's tenure, he opposed Governor Edmund J. Davis's anti-railroad actions and utilized his chairmanship of the Committee on Internal Improvements to push railroad legislation.<ref name=civilwartoreform/>

From 1870 to 1876, he served in the Texas state Senate from the 5th district and temporarily was elected pro tempore for mid-November 1871 until the end of the Adjourned Session of the 12th Legislature.<ref>[https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeleaders/leadership/ltgovbrowse.cfm Lieutenant Governors of Texas, 1846 - present]. ''Legislative Library Reference of Texas''. Retrieved May 25, 2023.</ref> During Flanagan's tenure, he opposed Governor Edmund J. Davis's anti-railroad actions and utilized his chairmanship of the Committee on Internal Improvements to push railroad legislation.<ref name=civilwartoreform/>

Flanagan was a member of the state's Constitutional Convention of 1875.<ref name=tshabio/><ref name=civilwartoreform/>

Flanagan was a member of the state's Constitutional Convention of 1875.<ref name=tshabio/><ref name=civilwartoreform/>

==Later life and death==

==Later life and death==

From 1897–1913, Flanagan was the collector of internal revenue. In his civic activities, he bolstered the construction of the Henderson and Overton Branch Railroad,<ref name=tshabio/> in addition to contributing towards an improvement of livestock breeding in Rusk County, Texas.<ref name=tshabio/> He died on May 5, 1924, at Henderson, and is interred at a family cemetery. The [[San Antonio]] ''Express'' eulogized with an editorial comment and tribute:<ref name=ncsl1924/>

From 1897 to 1913, Flanagan was the collector of internal revenue. In his civic activities, he bolstered the construction of the Henderson and Overton Branch Railroad,<ref name=tshabio/> in addition to contributing towards an improvement of livestock breeding in Rusk County, Texas.<ref name=tshabio/> He died on May 5, 1924, at Henderson, and is interred at a family cemetery. The [[San Antonio]] ''Express'' eulogized with an editorial comment and tribute:<ref name=ncsl1924/>

{{cquote|His famous oft-quoted speech (here recalled in full) serves to puncture as much hypocrisy of today—civil service or no civil service—as obtained when he, "Web" Flanagan, took it upon himself to speak the 1880 convention's mind against the policy of [[Rutherford B. Hayes]].

{{cquote|His famous oft-quoted speech (here recalled in full) serves to puncture as much hypocrisy of today—civil service or no civil service—as obtained when he, "Web" Flanagan, took it upon himself to speak the 1880 convention's mind against the policy of [[Rutherford B. Hayes]].