The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-12-22
Hos. JOHNNY MoRRIssEY.-The fol.
lowing letter, received yesterday by over.
land mail explains itself:


land mail explains itself:
AssoS HOUSE,, SPRISp STREET.
New YoRK, November 3, 1866.
To The cditor Of the Hcratd.
Sir: Ny attention has been called to
an editorial article ia the Herald Of this
day, in which il is said that have been
indicted for burglary aud other offences"
1t is duty not only to myself, but to
the people of the Fifth Congressional Dis
trict, for for whose support am candi-
date, that should state the facts When
| was boy, but sixteen years fage / and
a few friends were engaged in All alterca-
ton with Il party Of young men. and in
that alteration there was door of house
kicked open. 1t was charged that | was
one of those who open the door aud struck
one of the opposing party. An affidavit
was made by one Of the men engaged in
the quarrel that | had broken open the
door aud struck him. | was indicted for
burglary aud assault aud battery The in
dictment for burglary was never tried
The District Attorney regarded tho charge
as too frivolous - be prosecuted, and sum-
marily dismissed it. | was tried for tho
assault and battery and found guilty.
Before entering upon my canvass for
the position to which | aspire, Ircfcrred to
my past life, which until within the last
eight years, was one Of adventure, in con
sequence Of the poverty Of my parents aud
the few advantages | had in my earlyyouth.
Ioommeneed tolabGF for M own livelihood
and TO assist in tho support of my father
and mother at the early age of ten years.
At that time most boys are undcr the in
auenoe af domestic discipline, and have
the advantage Of Tegular educational train
ing. Is il, therefore strange that should
have committed errors in my early life?
There are but few boys that have not been
guilty oftFifing assault and battery. III
had inauentia! parents and friends 7 would
have been permitted, probably, to have
escaped with reprimand; but, having no
one to say one kind word for me=-a poor.
rough boy working in fouudry-=suffered
the slight penalty due to my boyish follys
During my whole life no man can say
that | have ever wronged him, defrauded
him of dollar, or even broken my given
word. ] have had during the last eight
years business relations and connections
with many of the best men of this city,
and not one oil them will say am other
than man of my word and of strict integ-
rity; have endeayored by my conduct to
atone for the mistakes of my youth. AL
though successful in accommodating CON-
petence, | have never forgotten that was
once poor, have never turned a poor
man from my door, or deserted q friend
in his need, There has been much eriti-
cism in the newspaper in reference to my
being candidate for Congress. 1t is nat
qral that ! should meet with great oppo.
sition, 4 man who has passed through
such varied and strange scenes of life as |
have must expect TO make bitter enemies
and warm friends, and jealousies and hos
tilities are lnsepaFable from political con-
tests. But, Mr.. Editor, | will state to
you my motives in being e candidate for
Congress.
have one boy, who is now twelve years
i of age, who will have the benefit of the
best education this country can afford, and
will have better opportunities than | had
at his age, to start upon an honorable ca
reer. feel it duty owe to him, my
only child, to make my record as clear and
honorable as possible, that my manhood
may atone for the follies and errors of my
youth, and leave behind me memories oi
which my son in after years may be proud
and that will cast no shadow upon his path
through life
/ respectfully solicit, as an act of justice
that this reply should be published in your
paper.
JOIN MoRRIssEY.