The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-09-23
st. CLAIRsvILLE o. Sept. 10Th '53.

To The Free Democratic Electors Of Belmont
| County: ......
BY your partiality, my name has been
announced to the people of this county, as a
candidate for Representative to the ensuing
Legislature. For this honor, l tender YOU
my grateful acknowledgements. The honor
is doubly appreciated, from the fact that it
was conferred upon me, without any solci-
tation, or even expectation Of my own. 1t is
source of qualification g. of pride to me, to
feel assuredin so unmistakeable a manner,
that the Free Democracy of Belmont County,
respected as they are for their intelligence,
their influence, their devotedness to the cause
of Truth and Human Freedom, have con.
sidered me worthy to represent that noble
cause.
But upon deliberate consideration, taking
into view the particular issues before the
people in the present canvass, g. The relations
sustained to those issues by the several can
didates for your suflrages, believe it to be
my duty--a duty which owe to the cause of
Truth and Humanity, to decline maintaining
longer, that position, in which you have
placed me. tits scarcely necessary 30 say,
that the particular Importance which the
Temperance question has assumed in the
present political campaignJand the peculiar
position Of the Wing and Democratic can
ddates in relation to that question, is the
principal inducement to my present determi-
nation. AS you are already aware, ! am
committed in favor of stringent prohibitory
laws, respecting the manufacture and traffic
in ardent spirits as beverage, and feel
bound to use my influence to procure the
speedy enactment Of an efficient law of the
kind in our own State. am proud to be
able to say, that theFree Democracy are with
me in opinion, in regard to the Importance of
such legislation. 1t seems to me that /
cannot at this time, more efficiently aid such
a measure, than by withdrawing my name
from the canvass. Why such result will
follow, as consequence Of the course have
determined upon, is unnecessary for me to
argue. Whatever influence may have, is
freely given to law, stringent in its pro-
visions, prohibiting the manufacture & traffic
in ardent spirits as beverage, within our
State. feel that in declining to be a can
didate, for such purpose and under such
| am compromising no Principle
OF freedom, and that my action in the prem
ises, will meet with the appreciation of my
Free Democratic friends. 1t is needless to |
say, that this is the policy indicated by the
Free Democracy throughout the State. That
il is the policy indicated by sound judgment,
seems to me, to be equally true.
What course my colleague, Mr.. Bundy,
intends to pursue in relation to this matter,
know not, | can only say, that have no
wish whatever to embarass him, and do not
believe that my action will, in any event,
rave such tendency. WhetAerhe continues
% be candidate or not, he is a good and
rue man, well worthy the support of the
riends of freedom and humanity.
Permit me to say, in conclusion, that am
more than ever convinced of the soundness,
If the truth, and the firmness, of the dis
inctive principles, upon which the Free
Democracy have planted themselves. That
he National curse of Slavery with its vast
weight Of expressions upon the industry,
he enterprise, the intelligence, the morals
Iud the honor Of our country, will, ere long,
rive way, before the resistless might of these
memorable Justice has
eCreeu thc sPeeuy uiuh'Ph o'Heouoh Wieh'"
'ur great Nation, to her honor, and to the
.lory of her name in coming ages, is
by the rapid progress our prin-
iples are making throughout the whole North,
md may safely add, throughout the whole
Union. These happy auspices, must be to
very friend Of his country and lover Of
liberty, sources Of deep graduation.
May we be endowed with courage to stand
irm in defence Of Jreedom-may we be