Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-05-01
Senator Yates Address.
WASHINGTON. d. G. Auril 81.

| have seen various articles in the Hi
nois papers rejecting on my conduct.
| Their criticisms are in some respects just
and deserved. Such exaggerations of my
faults as they contain, result, am sure,
not wholly from ill-will toward me, but
from iustifable anxiety that our State
shall be properly represented in the United
States Senate
could show by the records that have
been absent from the impeachment trial
but a small portion of the time. 1t COM
menced in March, just fifty days ago to-
day. l was absent from the trial only six
of those fifty days. / was present on ,ev-
cry other day, and voted on every ques-
ton submitted to the Senate. | could
show that have not been a constant
drinker; and prove that my yielding to
temptation to use stimulants has been peri
odical, and after long and exhaustive Ia
bors. / could show that have never
appeared in the Senate except when
sober, and that notwithstanding Oc-
casional departures since have been
in the Senate, / have for the most
of the time performed my duty;
but 1 waive all mere technical adj
vantage which might have in contro-
versy as to my conduct.
write you, not to justify, but to waive
all defense, and frankly confess to you the
weakness which, at times, has borne me
down, and which was calculated to bring
| discredit upon my State and myself 1t is
my nature to be frank, and especially do
owe it to you who have showered favors
and honors upon me, to be so now.
will not attempt justification or excuse, es-
pecially when l have so often publicly
said that men holding public trusts should
be sober men. sLA i. ~
During twenty-seven years of political
seryice-with the exception of ten of those
years when 1 totally abstained-I have
often yielded to temptation, and as often
have suffered the pangs of unutterable re-
morse. | can say that, in certain sense,
my sin has been my punishment. To lose
your respect might seem punishment
enough, but you can scarce imagine how
proud man feels when he has reason to
dread the loss of all that renders his
nature noble; and when it would seem
that Heaven had withdrawn its favor
from him on account of ,self-int1icted
wrongs.
1t has been said with what seems to me
unnecessary cruelty: ut is perfectly use
less to exact new pledges from one who
has broken so many old ones" To this
allow me to reply that [ haze reformed !;
and that / will compel your confidence, not
by pledges, but by a course of conduct
scrupulously correct. / comprehend the
situation perfectly. The happiness of my
family, the respect and confidence of my
friends, the success of my party, which to
me is the triumph of liberty and good
government, the honor of my State, the
good opinion of mankind, my own life,
and last and most important, the untried
future which approaches with startling
rapidity; all these have been seriously
considered. At> "''<~
To those whose affection for me has
hitherto survived the shock of repeated
disappointments, 1 say, do not conceal
from yourselves, or longer attempt to
shield me from deserved censure. l accept
| it as just punishment, and shall not MUIR
muir. Those who find in my misfortunes
occasion to congratulate themselves upon
the notifications Of their prophecies of evil
concerning me, anda justification for havr
| ing opposed me, may not finally realize the
| wish which fathered their thoughts AS
! to my enemies, and those who desire my
ruin and consequent resignation in order
| to the elevation of some one else to the
place which | hold at your hands, and
hope they are few, they have my pity for
the ignobleness of their purpose, and my
| defiance of their schemes
But, to you, fellow-citizens, | do apologize
without reserve or defense. lido not ask the
divine ruling in one of the oldest recorded
trials, viz: "Let him that is without sin
| cast the first stone" / make no compare
son between myself and other men in the
country who drink more than | can or
| have done, and with less disturbance of
| their nervous organization that | have. |
| do not wish in saying this, to seem invld-.
| ious, or in the attitude of making special
plea in my own behalf.
ITO err is human; to forgive, divine. }"
| crave only such an exercise OF the divine
attribute as the enlightened Judgment of
my fellow citizens can permit them to
| vouchsafe to me-. I can truthfully aver.
that no man has a keener appreciation of
| duty, a livelier pride in the honor OF Hi
| nois, or deeper sense of gratitude toward
those who have honored him, than have.
l was in my humble way true to the coun-i
| try during the late rebellious struggle, and
throughout long public life, against bitter
prosecutions, and in fearful minorities, not
withstanding all my faults, | have con-
stantly, unvaryingly, and always been true
to the Republican party, and to the prln-
| ciples of human freedom [ am not, and
never have been the advocate of drink
| ing; for, though alcohol may be useful as
a medicine, and in some other respects, yet
it kills more than it cures, and is much
more productive of misery than of benefit
| to mankind. And were it in my power,
would at one fell sweep, blot it from the
face of the earth and obliterate the
knowledge of making it from the breasts
of mankind.
am aware that I have many friends
who will disapprove, perhaps denounce,
the seeming humiliation of writing this
letter, as they did my temperance speech
year ago. While | regret their condem-
nation, l must insist it is always manly to
confess ones errors. am not so welded to
political life as to desire to remain in Of
| flee longer than my friends desire, but l
have never abandoned any post of duty
assigned me, and / shall not leave my
present one before the expiration OF my
term, while a single stain rests upon my
honor as Senator. Such an act would
be cowardly, disgraceful to you and my
self, reproach to my children who de
pend upon me for defense of their good
name--an act which car only be compared
| to suicide. Besides, feel that have not
yet accomplished all that ] owe to my
State, and am determined to cancel part of
| the debt.
| Notwithstanding your justifiable dis
trust, looking to God, my family, my State,
and my high duty, / shall not despair, but
| look forward to an unclouded future.
| r nj q