Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-30
LEXINGTON, IND, June %, 1862.

GENTLEMEN: i have but recently returned
home, alter an absence of six weeks, which will
account for my not sooner answering your kind
letter of the 9th inst, in which you are pleased
to say that | am your choice, and as you believe
the choice of the Democracy of your county, to
make the race for Congress in this District at the
approaching election, and desiring me t. state
whether | am a candidate for the nomination, or
would accept it if rendered me.
am deeply impressed by this additional mani
~festation of confidence and good will oil the part
of yourselves and that portion Of the citizens of
your county whom YOU represent, but | must say
in reply TO your inquiry that | have not for a mo-
ment contemplated being a candidate, and most
sincerely and truly do not desire to be.
As to accepting the nomination, if rendered me,
| can only say that whilst l appreciate the obi
CATION which rests upon a man holding the rela-
tons which | have to the people of this district,
to make some sacrifice of per sonal wishes TO a
seeming political necessity, where demanded by
the united voice OF his political friends, still |
am not able to see that the circumstances require
that | should make the approaching race, aud /
therefore respectfully decline the use of nv
name.
1t is perhaps superiuous for me to add that, as
a private citizen, neither seeking or desiring Of
flee, / shall exert whatever of influence | possess
to maintain The Constitution and the Union, and
speedily suppress the r,bellion.
To do that, in my judgment, it is necessary not
only to put down secessionism, but that twin
monster in %iniquity, abolitionism; and this. no
matter whether its mischievous doctrines are
boldly and openly avowed, or is attempted to be
covered up under the s~pecious guise of conisca-
ton, or the hypocritical cry of peculiar devotion
to the Union.
am for the restoration OF the old Government
as it was, leaving the people Of the several States
TO regulate and determine for themselves their
own domestic institutions as provided by the Con-
stitution; and il any slave State chooses to abol-
ish slavery, so be it. / shall rejoice to see it. But
/ earnestly protest against the citizens of the free
States being burthened with taxes on accoant of
such negroes, as 7 do also against their being
turned loose amongst US to compete with aud
cheaper the labor of white men and women, to
fill our poor houses and jails. and demoralize our
people. / am for leaving the question of slavery
exactly where our fathers left it in that incompa-
rable instrument. the Constitution of the United
States, which the abolitionists have been warning
against for years as ga covenant with death and
a league with hell" but which | cling to as the
great charter Of our liberties, designed for times
of war even more than 70. times of peace, aud
which / do not wish to see violated even under
the urgent. but exceedingly dangerous. plea of
nece ssity-the tyrant's plea in all ages of the
worlds history.
Understanding the position / have indicated to
be that of the Northern Democracy, and believ-
ing sincerely that the restoration Of that party TO
power would most speedily terminate the rebel
lion, crush out sectional fanaticism North and
South and restore the Government as it was in
the brighter and better days of the republic, |
feel il TO be my duty to stand by them in the ap
preaching canvass. At the same time | have no
reproaches for those Of my old political friends
who have in good faith fused with Republicans