Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-05-29
TENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT,
~ a Card.
TO ii ELECTORS OF II TENTH CON-
GRESSIONAI. X

AZ IL VI ~ OO~N
GRESSlONAL DISTRICT.
GESTLEMES 'lContrary to my original intentions, L
am again a candidate before you for reelection to Con-
4ress. Many Of you are already aware that | did not de-
sire to run again, being fully satisfied as well as grati6ed
with the honor heretofore conferred by your twice elect
ing me to that ~digni6ed aud honorable station but hav-
ing again consented TO be a candidate, II would be con-
ceaIing my real feelings, as well as dealing uncandidly
with you, not TO acknowledge my earnest desire TO sue
coed. Indeed, it may well be doubted, whether any man
is worthy to I'LL that station high and exalted as il un-
doubleday is, who would be Indifferent as to the judg-
ment his peers would pronounce on his claims when an
aspirant thereto. Bit this Iaudable desire for success
should in every instance be so tempered with prudence
and self-respect, as 10 pre.ent the candidate, under any
contingencies, from resorting 10 means TO secure success,
that would cast a blur IN the character Of the man or les
sen The dignity Of the Office To which he aspires. You
have not failed TO observe, that for the last dozen years
the political elements have kept so hot, that the practice
of eleclioneerins by a close canvass of the district has
been as seemingly necessary, as it was apparently popu-
lar. Are not its fruits of doubtful morality ? Be this as
it may, you will excuse me for venturing .he opinion, that
so far as The candidates themselves are concerned, its ten
dency invariably is, to destroy that manly independence
and courteous beariug so essential 10 a good representa-
tive Add TO this the political strifes and party bicker-
ings which invariably attend it, interrupting the harmony
of n~eishbors, destroying the kind social relations of COM
munIties and rendering the best citizens IN every commu-
nifty violent pdrtizans-for the sole and single benefit of
office holders and ofice-seekers, TO whose advantage this
violence invariably rebounds. And what, let me ask in
all candor, is there in this practice to induce the people
10 tolerate, much less desire its continuance. O..
Entertaining these views as TO its propriety, and being
rendered by severe domestic Affections totally unfit for its
strifes, I beg to decline an active canvass of our district
the ensuing summer unless driven to il by my com petitor
IL my health will permit, so soon as my honorable
competitor shall be known, | intend to propose TO him
that we visit each county in the district, and together, be-
fore as many Of the citizens as may desire to attend, de-
liver our views in as mild and pertinent a manner as we
NAV, on any question Of national administrative policy,
winch may be desired to be canvassed before the tribunal
OF the people, at which time | shall be happy to account
for the manner in which I have discharged my duty as
your representatIve-for 1 shall have been peculiarly for
tunate, If, in the course Of five sessions in Congress,
have not, in many instances, acted differently from what
some even Of my hest friends would have desired.
1 cannot close this card without declaring to you thai
whatever may be the result Of our future intercourse,
shall to the end Of my life, remember with kindly feel
ings of gratitude the kindness and confidence which yoI
have SO long and invariably extended to me-.
! am, gentleman, your fellow-ciIizen,
IMnneistOaon, April, 1916. A. KENNEDY.