The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-02-10
To tho Democratic Party Of Illinois.

and justic, as republicans and honorable
men. trust that you will believe me when
say that am ac,uated by no feelings of
resentment, arising out of Disappointed
ambition, for not having been reelected
TO the Senate of the United States; but
simply and purely desire 10 perform an
act of justice to myself. as well AS to my
friends. both in and out of the legislature,
who were kind enough, in my absence,
to support me on tina, occasion, by vindl-
eating my political reputation against un-
merited rcproach. and agains, uRiounded
misrepresentation. which. am informed,
were indus,riously circulated against me
by persons protesting to belong to the
democratic party, just before that election.
How far these reports had tendency
20 defeat my election, or may have served
the purposes Of their authors in other re-
spects. know not; nor is it my purpose
now to inquire. My object is to place the
facts before you,-in plain, unsophis.ica.
ted manner, that my accusers may not es.
cape. now the election has gone by, the
censure due to such conduct.
There are, indeed, some paliticians who,
If they do not openly adopt. act upon the
motto, that "the end justifes the MEANS"
regardless of all other considerations,
moral or otherwise; and with whom
patriotism, the general good Of the party
and of the country, count as nothing when
brought into conflict with personal agran-
dizement and individual selfshness. But,
could any party long sustain itself, or
would i. be desirable that it should be
sustained, if such was the principle of &C
zion by which the members composing it
generally were governed f!
The first rumor which was circulated
TO my prejudice, but not affecting my re-
putatiOn, was, that | had declined re-
election; for which, an old article in the
"Guincy Herald" of many months be-
fore, was made the pretext; while none
Of my political friends at Quincy, or else
where, had heard me SO express myself.
do not blame Mr.. Petit. lie had men,
toned it as hcarsay: and, as soon as he
learned that il was circulated to my pre-
JUDGE, and without being requested by me,
he came out promptly, and made a salts
factory explanation in his paper. Would
it no, have been treating me with more
fairness, in this instance. if ! had been
consulted by those who availed themselves
of ibis circumstance. before they ven.ured
TO give general currency to such a report,
as though it had been an ascer,aineI fact.
But this is of little consequence, and |
pass it by.
A friend OF mine, residing in Fulton
county, wrote to me after my arrival in
Washington, that, among the otherreports
which had been fabricated, and were going
the rounds in that county, to defeat my
election, was one which charged me with
having advised my friends, who intended
to vote for me, "not to submit my claims
TO democratic caucus nomination."
This charge deny in toto, and appeal to
my democratic friends in the Legislature
who voted for me to sustain my assertion.
in,erfered not in the arrangement, but
left il with the democratic members of the
legislature generally to N mage il ~ they
thought proper. My northern frienl'
know that am ia favor OF the convention
system, when properly conducted. as the
best and mos, satisfactory molr of pre-.
venting party divisions, by reconciiing the
conflicting interests of individuals lol
Office aud that. in regard To myself,
have never expressed any other opinion
or requested any different action. There
is one thing. however. TO which | do OBJ
iect bat with all due Difference to the Opt
Mons Of others who differ with ne, whicI
will take occasion to mention. | alludt
TO the mode Of voting in convention, by
ballot. The people. in their primary ca
pacity, being responsible to no one for he
exercise Of the high privilege which the,
enjoy under our republican form of gov
eminent. may vote by ballot, or riut
uoce, as they prefer. But not so will
those who exercise delegated power
They are re ponsible directly to the con
stitu '.y which they are appointed
who right to know for whom they
have d. and, il required, the reasons
for such vote. Very often the DELEGATE
acts under positive instructions and how
can his constituents hold him to jus. &C
countability. if he choose to deceive them
when his votes are given in secret? Tbl
mode, therefore, of voting by ballot,
contend, is anti-republican. and ought, i
my judgment, in order to insure jus
accountability, TO be abandoned in GU
conventions.
I have also been informed by oihe