The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-21
TO HENRY COUNTY VOTERS.
An Address from Representative john


Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW CASTLE. Ind. March O.-The
Courier to-day prints the following from
Henry L. johnson, addressed ITO My Con-
stituents in the County of Henry"
ION the first day of next April you are to
express your preference for a nominee to
Congress at your primary. election.
From information which comes to me
from various sources,sa1d which l believe 70
be entirely credible, "A believe that your
county is to be invaded by outside persons
and influences TO watch the old Sixth con-
gressional district has been wholly unaccus-
toned in congressional nominations. and
which have for their object the prevention
of fair and honest election among you. /
am informed, too, that these influences are
to be welcomed and encouraged by some
persons who reside in your midst.
Il do not fear, however. that these meth
DDS will accomplish the results at which
they are aimed, for know full well that
resent with Indignation the APPLICATION In your
county of the machine methods which have
recently been employed by some of the new
counties in the district. and of bribery and
of all other species of dishonest election prac-
tices.
81 have been importuned for some time
past by my friends all over the district to
come home and make personal canvass In
support of my candidacy. / confess that
the temptation to comply with this request
all along and still feel that / ought not TO
do so II such course can possibly be
Il am chairman of one of the committees
on elections the duties of which are of a
most onerous and exacting character This
committee has male an excellent showing
for work so far In the session, but there are
still number of cases before it to be deter
mined and the parties are clamorng that the
titles to their seats shall be adjudcated, and
they ought not TO be delayed. The important
committee of banking and currency, of which
l am member, also demands my attention,
and have number of private pension bills
pending which am anxious to have enacted
into law. My work in the department for
my constituents Is unusually heavy and my
Correspondence is simply immense
ITO leave my post under such circum-
stances as these in order to work for my
individual interests in the district. would be
an abandonment Of public duty which would
not only subject me to the just censure OF
snna ner t woS sSoa sa
tute a legitimate cause for complaint by the
people who have honored me with the re-
sponsible position ! now occupy. IN TINS
reach you by circular typewriter letters and
through the columns Of the local press.
'I do not now recall In the past history
of congressional nominations in the district
single instance In which the canvass degen-
Grated into one of mean personalities and
defamation of private character. When
Judge Forkner and other gentlemen of ability
contested with me my first nomination, GER
tainly nothing OF this kind occurred TO- d.faa mar
'It seems however. that in the present
canvass this high standard has been depart
M.
nation that, during my absence. many state
ments, some of them rejecting upon my pri-
vate character, have been set in circulation
in the district.
at do not know that have heard the ma
ture of all of these statements, but am in
formed that 1t has been charged that / am
a drunkard that I beat my family, that I
am a Roman Catholic and that i contem-
plate removing to New York TO practice law.
'I pronounced all Of these statements to be
absolutely false, and 1 point to the result OF
the recent nominating election in Wayne
county, where received a majority of 200
votes. in confirmation and emphasis of my
"As against these base and ignoble efforts
to excite prejudice and passion against me.
/ appeal. my constituents to your intelli-
gence and your manhood, and to that sense
of fair play and common decency which is
one OF the chief characteristics of all hon.
orable men. Unless / greatly misconceive
your character, such unworthy methods as
| these will find no toleration at your hands
and those who employ them will receive only
your condemnation and contempt.
Akin to this style of warfare to which 1
have alluded is the effort which, / am told.
is being made to excite prejudice against me
| and hatred in Wayne county by confusing
the race for Appellate judge with the race
| for Congress.
'I am not personally unfriendlv 10 Judge
| claim for one instant that am. The per-
sons who are in this matter pretending to be
s tsa6 they sre to h e my
which they can proffer can give to him hon.
orable and endurable strength as a caDdi-
| date Goods bargained by such a combina-
| ton can seldom be delivered. Men are not
| to be bought and sold like cattle in market
| places. The natural consequence of a coali-
| ton between the forces OF my competitor and
| those of the Judge. based upon the idea OF
| my defeat In Henry county, would be to ex-
| cite against him the antagonism of my
| friends, both inside and outside OF my district
"a thing which most earnestly desire shall
not happen and which shall certainly en-
deavor TO prevent.
| There ought not to be. there Is not any
| antagonism between the counties OF Hem
| ry and Wayne. resent. too, the at
tempt TO hx my political residence in any
particular county OF the district when my
Continued On second fagej