Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-18
Address OF Hon u w voorhees, To hts
commitments.
HoUsE o. kfPsEsENrtrivrsl
I'll 4 80

move % mingled pain ali1 pleasure The TINE
Ia psar At baud When !, becomes your duty TO
choose my successor as your representative IL
viii DO. be deemed improper for ne to take this
method OF announcing TO you that viii not
again be a candidate for that position. The pain
which fee 10 making this announcement. Is 10
The fact that II suDders a connection which has
been very dear 20 me-the pleasure Is in the pros
pect Of rest. private life. and home.
In taking the course which ] nov indicate.
am governed wholly and entirely BY personal,
and not poiificf considerations The cou1itiUn
OF nv private affairs. and nv duty TO young
and dependent family, are imperative reasons for
retiring from the place nov hold. These cir
cumstances Can alone be fully understood and
appreciated by ne. nor can hope 10 convey a
correct and adequate idea OF their force TO YOU
But | knos that YOU will give me credit for can
dor, when | -sy that they are in-uruountable
With equal frankness. u is bot Just To state that
| would be glad II they were otherwise | can
conceive OF no greater honor than Co continue Ia
the service OF such n constituency a. | represent
Nv ambition takes no higher range In retiring
nov quit political life Ii IL Was possible Tor
ne to remain IN public position at all. | should
solicit you To keep me where an. ain proud
Of my place. because represent YOU. Such de
votlpn, confidence. and | nav be allowed TO say,
sfectiOnate support, as have received from you
and humble abilities. ~ heart swells with emo
lions of the deepest gratitude a. now recall all
the evidences OF your unwaverIng kindness. |
shall carry To my grave the warmest love Tor YOU
all Every incident IN our intercourse, personal
and political vail be treasured up and beque.thed
% my children, "a an honorable and valuable in
heritance language u inadequate 10 convey TO
you how deeply and keenly apl recate the brave
and honest men who have stood by me in every
vicissitude Ot fortune.
But do not vanity imagine that your devo-
tiou has been merely personal On the contrary.
1 would have been az nothing. in your e>tima-
ton, but for the principles which YOU mintan.
and which represent Tor YOU Ia Congress To
these principles have been faithful. ii nothing
more am willing that the record may speak,
and by il | will abide ia all time aud under all
circumstances.
came into public lie in the midst Of storm
aud revolution. The fruits OF thirty years
tonal aud bitter agitation OF question forever
settled by the Constitution ripe. and The
fierce sickle OF death had just commenced 10 reap
It's irightiul harvest. Tie history OF the world
shows that such unhappy periods are those Ia
which Liberty u always closen down and sacri-
iced To usurpation ana power thought per
ceived at my entrance into Congress the freedom
Of this country threatened with similar fate.
Time has more than realized INV worst fears. sud
more than psralleled the most gigantic usurpa-
tons In the history of the human race Liberty,
a. our sainted fathers ordained it, neither lives
nor breathes any more IN the american Republic.
The press i not free IA 4 single State IN this
Union Il is the very palladium of liberty. and
tyrants alone disturb lt. Speech, decOrous argu
ment. ana honorable discussion, Is not free in
Congress or out OF It, The worship of God is
not Tree. Tor ministers chosen to the churches
=. al.
partment. and It's subOrdinttes. Even the
private thOughts-the sal ,mmunings of a
man own mind are not free-ii tue look of his
face should oetray them To Government detec
tive Aud accompanying tins total loss OF ilber-
~ and overthrow OF all law. human. and divine,
comes debt aud taxation. like giant task master
with whip aud chain 10 bud The people tor genera
tons TO come. and scOurge them ike galley slaves
To their hopeless toll.
In view OF these things. ! took my stand at
the first on the sue of constitutional liberty, aud
have maintained il throughout. | have resisted
every encrorchment on your rights. and de-
nounced every invasion of your privileges. /
have stood by the written Government of the
early founders. can appeal to Heaven that this
have done. | have also endeavored TO stand
between you and extortioners and plundereIs. l
have opposed oppressive and needless tax ,tion-
sectional ia its character, enrlchng the East aud
impoverishing you fostering the industry OF that
section and destructive of yours. In pursuing
this course | have necessarily incurred the hos
tility OF two classes of men-thuse who are
greedy OF unlawful power. and those whose Souls
are set on unjust gains. But | have received
their blows with Indifference. consoIed with the
absolute conviction that | am doing right and
that my conduct met the approval of an enlisht
ened aud virtrous constituency | shall retain
nI M.
ness towards those who have sought 10 encOtn-
pass nv ruin. can afford 10 cODsign all that 10
oblivion while nave the calm assurance of
conscience void OF offence towards my country
aud my fellow men. can make all allowances
Tor good men whose views differ from mine. If
there are Others who have been determined to see
evil. and evil only and that continually in my
public conduct they are To me as If they did not
exist
On the subject OF the dreadful war which now
wastes the land. my views are well known. and
nv course has been consistent. did not be
lieve when it commenced that it would restore
the Union aud Government under which We had
80 happily lived tor nearly century Fine has
but deepened ANA confirmed that opinion. liz
thought 10y manv that the task OF restoration
by force of arms was light. aud the time brief IN
which lt would be accomplished. II assert
Ell by those high IN authority, that sixty or ninety
DAYS would end the struggle. AMI that seventy
i've thousand men would be sufficient Tor the
work Popular creiuliiy, 10 a large extent. en-
brace6 this pleasing but delusive prophecy
Three years have rolled away. however. whose
track Oh The page of history will be one continu-
Gus line OF blood More than two millions OF
men have gone forth To battle. AMI vet mighty
contendng armies, OF nearly equal numbers
confront each other where they dId IN the begin
ming New calls are also being made for vast
numbers OF troops. by which your farms will oe
lett without labor IN the spring-time. aud be
made barren IN harvest Yet the Union is not
restored and the rebellous South opens the
paign o. the fourth year OF the war with a. much
yigor and power before And whatever
may be the result OF the awful approaching bat
ties, the end of the conflict is Yet tar In the di.-
lance A few weeks since, John Forney. the
editor of Lincolns organ IN this city, used the
following language:
"A lew months ago | thought were
the end of the rebellion; at present don't think
we have reached the middle of it,
For me 10 concur IN that opinion trust will
not be considered a. All evidence OF want OF al
lection tor nv Government. These are unwei-
come truths. snd,it gives me pain to repeat them.
bnt they are truths nevertheless which YOU your.
selves do know. and for which am in no wise
responsible They yindicate the melancholy
iorebodings which ] eniertsined AZ the opening
OF this disastrous contest. when an honorable
compromise rejected oy The party which Is
now IN power. They vindicate you. TOO. in the
your humble but sincere representative. You