Litchfield enquirer., 1879-01-09
Reasons why Joserh R. Hawley should be sent to the United States
 Senate.

It has been thought best by some of the friends of Gen. Hawey that the reasons why he should be elected to the L. 5. Senate at this time should be presented to the Republicans of Connecticut in this form. It is consonant with the propretes of the occasion and is not impertiment to any individual preference or judgment. And this action is taken without consultation with him and without his knowl- edge The dignity of the office and the dig nity of the electors ought to secure the choice of the best representative Republican in the State. Gen. Hawley ought to be chosen if the reasons for choosing him commend themselves to the unbiased judgment of the people of Connecticut, and not otherwise.
 GENERAL HAwLEYs POSITION.
 The position of Gen. Hawley in regard to the office is well known it is clearly expressed in his open letter. It is not to be sought as a personal perquiste; it is not to be declined, without good reason, if the electors offer it freely Gen. Hawley has made no personal solicitation of votes: he has neither made nor authorized any personal canvass. The office does not belong to any man, and no man ought to have it simply because he personally desires It. It belongs to the people of Connecticut freely to bestow. and any acts or arts that seek to capture it by plots and combinations degrade the office and are opposed to good morals.
 In what we have to say we wish it emphat- icay to be borne in mind that we have no thought of depreciating the merits of the hon. orable men who have been named as candi- dates. We only intend to submit, openly, to the judgment of the State, the reasons why Gen. Hawley should be elected to the Senate at this time.
 Gen. Hawley has been a conspicuous expo- nent of the Republican party from its organi- ton. He called together the first meeting to organize the party in Connecticut, and it was held at his private office. No man has done more to expound and defend it's principles, both in and out of the State, and no one at all times, has been more devoted to it's highest aims.
 THE FIRST VOLUNTEER.
 He was the first man in the State to enlist for the war. The paper for enlistng the first company of volunteers was drawn by him in his editorial room, when we were receiving the news of the firing on Sumter, and his name is the first signed. He enlisted as private, and rose. by merit, to the rank of brevct Ma jOr- General The State had no occasion to be ashamed of him as a soldier
 The public estimation of disability and high character has been expressed by his election as Governor of the State, as Representative in Congress, by the Presidency of the Republican National Convention in 1868 and by the Pres idency of the International Exhibition of 1876.
 NOhi-NAI run oc-SalNh'
 His name has long been associated in the minds of Republicans with the office of United Senator He was, it is admitted, the nearly universal choice of his party in 1872; and he received the almost unanimous vote of the leg islative caucus of the party that year. He was defeated by bolt as unwise in it's con- ception as it was unfortunate in it's results. The State was lost, both United States Sena- tors were lost, and for time the Republicans had only one Representative in Washington We have no desire to revive unpleasant mem- ories, and every desire for harmonious party action. The injustice of 1872 was not to flaw ley only or chiefly; it was to the known will of the Republicans of the State. This is the first time opportunity has Occurred to repair that injustice and to right great wrong to the Republican party. And this is the time to repair it. This is the time to put an end to the sting of it's memories, and the mistake which was so fatal It would be unwise to delay this act Ot justice and means of harmo- ny to the uncertainties of 1880 And, besides, the election of Gen. Hawley would greatly COT solidate the party power in tho State and de- crease the political uncertainties of 1880.
 NEVER sHIRKs DUTY.
 Gen. Hawley has never shrunk from any position to which patriotic conviction or the expressed will of his party called him. reason of it's danger. He has never nurSed his repu- tation by refusing to take the chances of de- feat Five times he has been the contestant for Congress in this district thrice he has been elected and twice defeated. He never declin- ed the nomination from motives of prudence. His acceptance of the last nomination, which met him on his arrival from Europe in the harbor of New York, WI en his prudent friends thought he was not called on to take what seemed to be the risks of political combina- tions against any Republican candidate, and the spirit in which he accepted itare sufficient comments upon the firmly established princi- pie which guides him in regard to public of flee This is simply, that the office should seek the man and not the man the office, and that in republic duties must override private convenence
 OPINION OUTSIDE OF THE STATE.
 Gen. Hawley is clearly marked out by his conspicuous position as the man for the place. There is outside the State, at a distance in which our merely local combinations are not visible, an almost unanimous wish for his elec tion. Never was choice more clearly indicat- ed by the general public opinion lie is rec Ognized as one of the strongest men of the na- tion and one who would add, in a place where this sort of addition is greatly needed, to the power. and dignity of the greater house of Congress In few years, when all little To- cal schemes sink into inSigniticance, we shall wonder how there ever Was any hesitation when we had ths opportunity, at putting our best representative where he could be of most service to the country. It is a loss to d gener- alton when it has man of the moral and in- tellectual build, of the courage and entire steadfastness, of Gen. Hawley, if it does not avail itself of his power. Not only Connecti- cut, but New England, needs Gen. Hawley in the Senate.
 SIGNIFICANT ADMISSION.
 In all the canvass that has been gong on Tn the State in regard to different candidates 1t is significant that it is not only adn itted, but that all talk is prefaced with the admission, that Gen. Hawley is, without any question, the best man for the place, and that there would be no sort of doubt or hesitation as to his election, if 1t were not that it would open the First District again to contest, and we might lose a member of the House. Upon this one doubt, and this only, all the other names have been urged. This removed, It is the universal testimony of fcanvassers and news papers-there wonld be no opposition to Haw- ley. We accept this fact as settling what is the real choice of the State and will consider, briefly, the single point upon which any ques- tion is raised.
 In the first place, the advantage to the State of securing the service of Hawley for str years in the United States Senate, in this time when the greatest questions of finance and admins
 
 the disadvantages of losing his service of taco years i'll the lower House. And besides. no one can be assured against political wave of some sort that may endanger the State legisla- ture of 1880.
 FIRST DISTRICT IS REPUBLICAN,
 In the second place, his transfer to the Sen ate would not cost us the First District. The Republicans of the District feel abundantly able to take care of It. Hawley was elected as representative of hard money. We be- heve that tirst-class maL, who is a hard money Republican, can surely be returned in special election
 Ths district is uniformly Republican only Mree times in t,centy gears has it been other wise. In two of those three times it was un- doubtedly carried by frauds on the ballet-box. Those frauds were checked at the last election, ana three of the commuters of them have been convicted and are now in jail. Mr. Landers was elected each time by trifiing maiorities