The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-09-12
SENATOR MILLS DECLINES.
He will Not Accept the Nomination for
Congress, but Proposes to Devote HIS
Life to the Educational, Religious,
and Financial Welfare OF
Southwest Virginia.
A FRANK AND MANLY LETTER.

10 THE REPUBLICANS OF THE NINTH CoS-
CREssroSAL DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA:
! take this opportunity to address you
| in response to the kind and urgent calls
so frequently made upon me, by many OF
you, to permit my name to be used for
the nomination soon to be made by our
party in this district for seat in con-
gress.
/ am not insensib!e to the great honor
my too partial friends would bestow upon
me. With nil my heart thank them.
No man can esteem more highly than
do, such expressions OF appreciation, COM
ing as they do from those with whom ]
have been most intimately associated in
the struggles and triumphs Of the party,
through the cyentful years which have
recently directed very special attention to
our section of the commonwealth. l
rejoice in the profound consciousness
that, in oil my political course, it has
vance the best interests of my people.
can truly say that have given myself
little concern rs to anything merely per-
sonal to myself. l have sought in the
halls of legislation, and in my intercourse
with the general public, and everywhere
and by every means in my power, to ad-
vance the moral, intellectual and financial
well-bcing of Southwest Virginia-tbe
richest country in undcveloped resources
upon which the sun shines.
In doing this have entered into obi
cations which fobid my yielding to the
kind persuasions Of friends, to seek the
nomination for congress. To do other
wise might infict serious pccuniary loss
upon those who have entrusted to me the
management Of great properties and the
direction Of great agencies which are
closely connected with the welfare of the
senatorial district which | now have tho
honor to represent. And in the fullest
candor let me add that, apart from these
business engagements which forbid my
seeking this honor or accepting 1t II 1t
were pressed upon me unsought, | am
forced to decline because of growing
conviction that the best service | can
render my section, my State and the
whole country, and the world, lies in
another direction-to preach the Gospel
of Jesus Christ, to help establish and
endow institutions of learning where the
boys and girls Of the land may be trained
for usefulness, to make money with which
to help endow these and other agencies
for doing good-this for ME has charm
which nothing else has under the shining
heavens. To this kind of work desire
more than ever before to dedicate my life.
In declining the use Of my name for
this high federal office, am glad to know
that there arc others more able and more
worthy from whom you can make selec-
ton. hope you may be able to unite
upon the most available man and that he
may be triumphantly elected. While my
obligations to press forward movements
looking to the moral and intellectual and
financial well-bcing of nay section will
very much engross my time and attention.
pledge to the man who shall be fortunate
enough to secure the nomination, my
heartiest support. j. B. F. MILLS.
BIO STONE GAP, VA, Sept. II, 1890.