Litchfield enquirer., 1875-03-18
To the Voters of the 4th Coneres.
 Sional District.

AS you are aware, Democratic conven- tion was recently held at Bridgeport, for the purpose of nominating candidate to represent the people of the 4th Congress sional District in the 44th Congress, and the result of the deliberations of that con- vention, as you are aware, was the presen- tation of the same individual who has held the position, taken the benefits and enjoyed the honors of representation, for the last eight years.
 As an humble constituent of his, with out friends, money or influence, I have been cogitating this thing over in my mind since the convention closed its arduous labors, with a view to learn what ones duty is in the promises. I as- sume that the object and purpose of the convention was to nominate somebody who, if elected, would represent the peo- pie of his District, in the manner contem- plated by law and usage. It was not the nomination of particular individual who, when elected, should sit down under the supposition that his only duty was to draw his salary. The office has duties at- tached to it beyond this, many and diver sifed. But our representative has seem- ed to ignore them. He has gone upon the idea that the interests of his constitu- ents were of secondary nature, that his personal interests were primary. no mat ter how much he neglected those he was elected to represent. The interests of his constituents required his presence at Washington; there was his post of duty. and there only could he represent them. His post of duty was not at Lime Rock. He was not elected to sit down in his of flee there, and count md calculate his profits and gains, while his seat in Con- was vacant and his constituents unrepre- sented! In his seat at Washington, at his post of duty there. only could he truly and legitimately represent his constitu- ents, and how has he discharged his duty? The fact is too we'll known, that In utter disregard of the duties of represents. tive, his seat in Congress has been vacant, notoriously vacant, vacant to such an ex- tent as to call for the severe comment and animadversion of his friends. His seat being vacant, the District has been un- represented, the interests of his constitu- ents neglected. His election naturally carried with it some obligation of duty of general character, only to be performed, that only could be performed, at the place contemplated in his election, and fixed by law But ignoring all this, he plants him. self in his office at Lime Rock, looks we'll to his personal interests, and semi-occa- sionally exhibits himself in his seat in l Congress, as a reminder, that Barnum ''still lives" Everybody must understand that this is not representing the District or the interests of his constituents, for that can be done only in his place at Wash ington, and these demand more than a semi-occasional appearance at his post of duty
 He occupies place upon the committee of the House, and where is he? In con- sultation with the committed? No, in Lime Rock looking after Barnum's inter- ests, subordinating the interests of his constituents to his own. Was this the object and purpose of his elec- tion? Connecticut is entitled to four full representatives. Has she had them the last eight years? His vacant seat answers the question. And why should this mode ! of representation longer continue? or rath- CT, why should the 4th District be longer left unrepresented? Is not eight years enough to be represented only at inter-
 vals, at such times as his personal inter- ests do not need immediate attention? If
 the past is criterion of what the future
 may be, what obligation is there resting
 upon a single voter in this District to aid
 in returning him to a position, the duties
 of which he has notoriously failed to d1s-
 charge? We elect representatives for a
 specific purpose, to represent us in Cors
 gress, and this not having been done, we
 are under no obligation, either of party or duty, to return him to the next Con- gress. We have been unrepresented long enough. We have right to demand his presence at Washington, in the discharge of his duty. He may say that no duty has been neglected. That is not for him to say, so long as he was not there to know. We elected him to serve us as a