Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-09-11
LETTER FROM JUDGE POLAND.
ne WHITMAN. from tn. Canvass.


for Congress by a convention duly called
and conducted according to the usage of the
party. At the election held on the first
Tuesday in September it appeared that my
nomination for some reason was not sus-
tanned by majority of Republican voters
of the District.
Under these circumstances deem II TO
| he my duty, both to you and myself, TO
Withdraw my name from the canvass.
| do II at this early period that you may have
| ample time to take such course rs you may
deem best before the election in Novem-
| Der.
The above is probably all | need to say
in your interest, but in justice to myself, l
! desire to say few words in explanation Of
| my own action.
1t has been said that l forced myself up
on the party as a candidate. In that behalf
| desire to say that | did not feel at all
anxious to continue in Congress beyond
my present term. For the last few years
| such an immense amount of labor has been
thrown upon me, that the position was one
| of unccaSing toll.
Ever since I have boon in Congress
have had charge OF the work of revising the
| National statutes, a work ofgreat labor and
| of incstmabe value to the country, and |
| was anxious To continue in Congress Till
| that should be completed. 1t involved 81
much labor and yielded so little reward in
the way of political fame, that | feared II
would fail of completion If it fell to others
who had not the interest | felt in II. But
in the present Congress this work has been
finally and successfully accomplished and
my anxiety To remain in Congress WAS at
an end.
have bv the favor of the people of the
State aud District been a very long time
in public office, much longer than falls to
the lot of most men. l knew there existed
to Il considerable extent a feeling that had
already received my full share of public
Il fI,nf A INN hut MIA
to another. felt, that ~ far as was con-
cernCd, there was some justice in this, and
that | had received quite my full share of
public favor. knew too that the general
disposition of the lime was for change and
that there was popular feeling through
the country for changes and new depart
ures."
In the great contest of two years ago,
large number of young men in the District,
arraved themselves upon the side of my
younger competitor, and the controversy
became so heated and acrimonious that
many of them became personally bitter
and hostile toward me. Their defeat deep
| rned their anmosity.
For the last two years every act of mine
has been distorted aud misrcpresented, and
as much political capital made against me
as possible. / knew all this, and that In
another political contest, all these things
would be seized upon, and he used against
| me to the farthest limit. | therefore de-
| tcrmiucd that | would not he n candidate,
| if there was likely TO he any cOnside rable
| oppOSitiou. | therefore remained entirely
silent upon the subject during the late long
session of Congress without even cores
| ponding with my friends, waiting to see If
| public sentiment would settle upon any
| one aS my successor.
ON my return home found no one in
the field except Col. Mead. endeavored
AS we'll ~ / could to ascertain the public
| a HI
satisfied that no considerable portion of the
| people desired him. His support seemed
| Ia be limited to a new and special Organi-
cation, which claims not to be political.
| Two other names had been occasionally
| mentioned in the newspapers Of the Dis
| trict,-Judgc Wheeler and Mr.. DeniSon.
| | had no communication with Judge
| Wheeler but ! heard from his friends, that
| he did not desire 10 he n candidate.
| had "A personal interview with Mr.. Dem
| ison, and said To him that had not au-
| thOrized any statement that was a candi-
date, and that did not intend To be a can
| didate if there was TO he any real contest
over it, that had seen his name mention
| ed by the press, and that | desired to
| know, il he was willing TO state, whether
he was or would he II candidate for the
| nomination. Mr.. Dcnison replied that
| he had been solicited TO he candidate by
various persons, but that he did not desire
tn go to Congress if he could, that the idea
of going to Congress was dsagreeable and
repugnant to his feelings. | suggested
that if no did not desire 10 go now, he
might he looking to it at some future time.
lie replied that he had not reference to this
particular election, but to going to Congress
ut all, that he did not think he should ever
be candidate, or desire to go to Congress
ut any time.
| did not interview Mr. Denison for the
purpose of soliciting him not to he a eau
,latn nat nla nr nra apa
from him that he would not he. | applied
to him for information, and supposed GOT
it. / should have considered | was insult
ing him by asking any assurance AFTER
what he said to me.
Believing that the only opposition could
have was from Col. Meade and his friends,
land not believing that to he in any degree
iormidable) / authorized the editor of my
| home paper, 10 announce my name as q
candidate, and he did so in his next issue
lie accompanied ii with an announcement
that Judge Wheeler and Mr.. Densor
would neither of them be candidates, and
this he did | SUI pose on information | gave
him. You may judge of my surprise OF
seeing in the Windsor County papers al
the same week that Mr.. DensOn was il
the field as a candidate. at once wrote tC
Mr.. Denison expressing my astonish.
ment; reminding him of our conversation
and asking him if the announcement of his
name was authorized by him. lie replied
and claimed that misunderstood, or mis-
Interpreted his statement to me, that hC
only meant me To understand that he ha(
not then determined to lie a candidate.
have only to say, that if such was Mr.. Den
iSon's purpose, he was either very infe
lictous in his use of language, or ! wa
very unfortunate in understanding it, ant
entirely failed to understand the very fac
| was in pursuit OF.
Mr., Denison said further in his letter
| rot IL hn rnnaiun1 tina nnni naiinn hi
should feel very grateful, and that If
received it he should cheerfully supper
me.
have stated the matter thus infinitely
not for the purpose of raising any question
| between Mr.. D0nisOn and myself, but [,
absolve myself from the charge of thrust
ing my self into a contest for the candidacy
| Having thus become party to "A conflict
for the candidacy without expecting ii,
endeavorod, as candidates usually do, to in
cite my friends 10 active exertion TO have
| my supporters at the caucuses for thu
choice of delegates. Both my oppon
did the same. l received the nomination
at the convention by handsome majority
over both my opponents. Everything per
tanning TO the election of delegates and thu
conduct of the convention was perfectly
fair aud honorable as far as | have knowl
edge or information. | believe it to hav,
been 50, and ! supposed the contest ended
But portion of the delegates who sup
ported my opponents left the convention
held n separate meeting, nominated Mr.
Denison and opened vigorous and bite
canvass. Having been fairly nominated
in regular convention relraiued from
, further effort.
just on the eve of the election circulars
were issued aud handbills posted through
out the District alleging that my nomina
, ton was in no way binding upon the party
because l had procured delegates to tht
convention by buying votes with money
l learn also that most marvellous tales were
told of the amounts expended, with detail
ofcircumstances. What influence this haC
l do not know,-I have only to say tina
the whole thing is a sheer fabrication
never expended penny to influence tn
vote of any man, nor did l ever authorize
any one to do so for me, nor do l believe