Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-11-12
"Our County Election"

I
say Wsttery remarks, in relation tc
County Superintendent, in which IN,
name is used in manner calculated
TO reflect upon my honor as man and
my honesty as a politician.
Now, as You have so freely paraded
me before the public, it is but justice
to me that You make equally public
NY statement Of facts III relation tc
my course, and the reasons therefor
III the recent campaign. propose tc
make such statement without any
scurrilous attack upon the writer OF
the article in question, and without
any particular reference to the actions
OF motives Of other individuals, whose
names you have seen fit to couple with
mine, in what consider your SANDER
Gus attack upon me.
The principal driye seems to be to
make the public believe that there
was coiluSion between myself and
leading democrats to defeat DR.. Wit
ter. About four weeks before the
election, in conversation with leading
men of the Republican or Union par
ty (whose names | can give if Gesire,l)
L was urged 20 announce myself as a
candidate for Superintendent, on the
ground that there was much dissatis-
faction among Republicans in regard
TO the course Of DR.. Wltter, and also
from the fact that the Democrats
having no available man in the party
did not intend to present a party can
cidate. Ascertaining this to be a fact.
and receiving assurances that I should
receive the influence and support of
many leading men in the Democratic
party, | announced myself as an indie
pendent candidate for that office.
In further canvassing the matter, |
learned that the Doctor had been set
ting up tie pins in the Republican,
party for the last year; and it was ev-
ident that at this late date | should
not be able to contend against posi-
tive pledges made to him long ago
The most Of my electioneering was
therefore done among democrats, al
though many Republicans promised
me their support, Those Democrats
with whom [ had business relations
promised to use their influence for me,
and | believed at that time, and still
believe, that they acted in good faith
with me, intending to fulfill their
pledge.
Matters stood in this shape until
few days before election, at least five
different numbering firms havingpledg-
ed me their support, when leading
Democrat met me III the street, and
remarked that lie believed they had
better get up good Democrat and
clean as both out To which L jeh-
lgIyremarked ':pitch in,'' and passed
on, giving the subject no more thought.
The next morning | learned there
had been a caucus held resulting in
the nomination Of Father Hens, and
that during the night certain i3e55me1-
ces had been brought to bear up n him
by some who were opposed to the
move, inducing him to decline the
nomination, thus leaving the at,stcrri-
.fe1 still without candidate. The
few leaders i'll this movement thought
''lt would never do to give it up SO"
held another caucus, and, after irving
several persons, finally selected Mr.
Powers, whom they forced into the
canvass, as he says, much against his
wishes. Those who were favorable
to my election, fought against this
move to the last. And | still believed
this was only a fuctio7a, and knowing
who were pledged to the Doctor,
thought it would draw quite as much
from his strength as from mine.
TO nay great astonisnment and dis
appointment, trap was sprung the
night before election by which large
proportion Of the Republican strength
and influence was secured to the Doe
tor, and [ was sold out.
Zoo late to withdraw from the can
vass gracefully, | fennd that by what
| consider unfair ard dishonorable
means, | was deprived of the working
element of the Republican party, up
on which | had depended, and also
that many Democrats considered that
the nomination OF party man ab-
solved them from all obligation to ne.
Thus it will be seen that was yirtu-
ally ont Of the contest. Therefore,
ceased all effort in my own behalf,
leaving the few Democrats and Re
publicaas who still clung to me in
preference to either Of the other can
didates, to vote as they saw fit, and |
think without doubt | drew more from
he strength Of Powers than that OF
IFitter.
did not 60 or send out of this vii
lage during the entire campaign to in
duce an Individual to vote for me.
did not use a cent of money or a drop
Of liquor to induce any one to change
a vote.
Now, Mr.. Editor. l appeal to You
and an enlightened public to say, if in
the course of this campaign, / have
done anything for which should be
so uncercmoniously read out of the
party, or on account Of which | should
be suspected of infdelity to the Union
cause. All I have to say is, if my op-
ponents are satisfied with the course
they have taken, / certainly am with
mine.
| should not have noticed the stric-
lures made upon my conduct, but that
they were made e1itoridIy and the
| l. t-olv, fn fa,,