, 1874-08-17

letter from Judge E10nr DccliNing Il
tseMDlii ih:ttt0n.
~ The Electors Of tic Sevch Congressional District q
1tdssachnsctts: -..
AZ tho ti1no approaches to solcct your Repre-
sentative IN tho next Congress, wish to Inform
you that decline to bo ca'titnso for re-elcc-
lion. It is known to many Of sou that tho Becc-
tim of your Representative in the present Con-
srcss WIS n,adc asainst my dcsirc, and scarcely
will, my consent. It WAS my intcntlon to loid
tue Office but for single term. aud nothing haa
occurred to c!.augo this purpose.
It ia not from any want Of appreciation OF the
honor Of representing you tint tho resolution IL
talon !; on tho contrary am deeply glatefal for
tio confidence you hayo roposed i'll me, and hnvo
cndoayored to repay It by serving you to INC
hast Of my ability There is no Official positlon
which seems to lilo moro honorable or which
furnishes field for greater public services, than
TINT Of n direct representative OF tho peopo.
Tor DO I assent to thc criticisms which "itn
moro iIippancy than Justice are go frequently
Mouse whlc l]haye known consisted, ~ great
proportion. of new members it had to do"i
with vast interests i: with n'any questions npoh
which public opinion is much dlyilseti, anu "as
too largo for tile rapid aud easy dispatch OF buBs,
uosa. 1t has sometimes Eeemod to 10 tl'nia, and
10 mistake popular clam0r TO: tho settled conslc-
tionB Of tbs people. hut beliovoit on tho "holo
10 hayo been a thoroughly honest boay, composed
t,ought tho public wcllaro. we're opposed to cor
ruDt and mercenary scllcmoB, and talriy repre-
soed their constituents. A great deal Of taith-
| ful mud unpretondlng labor WAS done during the
session, In many branclos Of public business {of
| wluci, tho revision Of tho laws or tho
United Gtntes IL an oAamplo). which at-
tracts mono oftho fattonion given to
moro political contestR. lta Efforts to promote
o:ouoiuy, rctrcnchmont, and roforn,. though
| poraps little iuliHcriminato, seemcu to inc to
| bo etilco,o, and productive Of many good ro-
,nllts. But especially gratifying was tho progress
rado in exposing and bringing to account the
ttibo Of oll!cc-jobbers, contract-jobbors, i''~
| Tlonsury, whoso rrlte OF collnct il briefly OK.
| pressed in the phrase ito mako politics pay."'
Ttloir influence, and that Of their promoters aud
allies, was obviously and steadily declining
through tho entire scsaion; and thoir prospects
DO not Bcen, bright for the future. j. u
i,aa boon nlattor OF common onsersanoh Inae
iii no rocent Congress- has tho lobby hnd 80 llttio
| influence Or succoss; and cati rocall no meaa-
| ure wLlcL waB carried, to which tue suspicion
Of nlorcoualy or improror support "as AZ
tachcl.
but, hy tho customs Of tho uouae, n leading
place i'll directing itH cotton can only DO gasnet!
by long continuous service; or, in exceptional
casos, by oratorcal powers to which cal make
uo protenaion. Tho hnlts Of more thai twonty
years Of my life haSo been tlxcd in . di1oiohs
and less turbuiont leld OF public sorsico, sud are
not roa1i'y changed. ~,
May express tho I.ope that tho district will
nelcot, as My successor, the ablest nun It eau
onico will bo begged or bought. but one who,
uooklng only to 1iautau tho iMtcrosts and the
| honor Of tho stato md tho country, will serve
lilo cullso of honest government Ra faithfully as
Aayo tried to do, and moro efficiently.