The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-05-01
To the Democrats Of In sn,lr, Grundy, mud
the attached part Of Kendall county.

Feline CHiSeHS As have been called on
this district, within the last two or three weeks,
to state whether would be a candidate for rep
resenta,ive 10 the stale legislature, at the ap-
preaching election. | take this method of answer.
ing all such inquiries 10y stating that am can
dldalc, subject to the decision Of the district con.
veniion. But believing as do, that the cand.
dates ought not to interfere in the election OF DEL
egales IN any precinct" shall stay at home and
attend to my own business, and leave the citi-
zens of the respective precincts 10 attend to theirs
The democratic party in this district have al.
ready suffered enough from the interference of
candidates In the primary meetings, and tits high
time that the practice should be abandoned. II
eng ndcrs spirit Of personal hostility between
the rival candidates, which has been carried into
our conventions. This was the case in the con.
vention of iSii. Instead Of consulting together
in union and harmony, for the general good Of
the party, that convention was a complete Babel
Of discord, and laughing stock for our enemies:
and the result was an explosion. 1t blew up
without making any Nominations, and each can.
dlia,e took the field on his own hook-evcry man
for himself. That campaign was contest be.
tween man and man, in which the principles OF
the party were lost sight Of; nothing but sue.
cessful manGuvre on the very eve Of the election
saved this district from sending q whig to the le-
gisature, at a tine when it was necessary loi Us
to C, ncenlrate our whole force in that body in
order to elect democratic judges, aud democrat
20 the United States Senate.
And here it becomes my duty-a duty which
owe 10 myself as well as to my friends, to notice
an objection which has been raised against me.
It is said, that sacrificed mysefby declining to
BE candidate in 1914, when my prospects Of
election were certain" To this objection an
swer, tina, am in possession of evidence sulIi-
cicnl to convince any unprcjudicCd mind, that it
| had continued a candidate, Mr.. Champlin
would have been elected. During that campaign
| repeatedly declared to the democrats in all parts
of the district, that If it should become necessary
f'r me TO decline in order to defeat his (Mr.
Champlain's) election should do SO. That the
wings would raise the hU, and cry aglingt me,
was no more than what | expected but that
protested democrats should join in their mahd,c.
tens, and still continue to repeat them looks to
me like opening a ne,U chapter ia The democratic
creed. | have always thought that TIE true mot.
10 of the party was 'prineipes not men, and |
have acted accordingly. As one of the pioneers
in the ranks of the democratic party in this dis.
tric,, have stood by the party, aud its principles
from its fire, Organization in every contest,
through veal and through woc--,hrough good
and through evil report, without fllering. II
to DO a democrat from princiIlt , and not for the
sake of olicc; it to use every exerlion in my
power to establish union and harmony in the
ranks Of the party; tito spend my time and mo.
ney freely in order to promugalc democratic doc
lrnes; if 10 decline being candidate, (whcn,
according to tho admission Of those who are OPP
posed 10 me- "my election was certain, y in order
10 prevent the election Of a wing if these &C.