Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-03-08
sin but could not say whether he would
have his business headquarters there.
SpOOner's Letter to Governor.
In his letter to Gov. Davidson, Mr.

In his letter to Gov. Davidson, Mr..
SpOOncr writes:
WASHINGTON, u. c., March 3.-To The
Hon. james o. Davidson, governor OF Wis
consin-Sir: l hereby resign the office of
senator of the United States from the state
of Wisconsin, this resignation to take effect
Oh the LIST day of May, 1907.
Both by law and custom the foregoing
formula sutticcS, but l cannot bring myself
TO surrender the trust with which WiscOn-
sin has SO long and highly hOnorcd me
by Il curt sentence which includes no word
either of explanation or Of gratitude.
On the fourth day of March, inst, l shall
have served in all sixteen years as a sen
ator This is Il long time for one, neither
willing nor financially able permanently 10
abandon it, to take from his profession 1t
has been taken from mine, for | have not
thought it compatible with the full and I'M
interrupted discharge of public duty to pur-
sue il. and have, therefore, during my
service, with two or three trifing eXcep-
lions, purely local, absolutely aDstaincd
thcrcfrom.
For years private duties have plainly de-
mandcd of me an early return to the prac-
tic@ of my profession, and have never
since l last took the oath of Office Wayered
III The determination TO retire from public
life on the expiration of my present term,
March 3, 1909. | might we'll content myself
with Il public declaration Of my purpose 50
to retire if ii were not for Il like declara-
ton made Il former and similar OCCa-
sion, and what followed it.
In the year 1900 | announced through the
press over my signature to the Republicans
of Wisconsin that | had ''unalteraby deter
mined to retire from public life at the eX-
piration of the term ending March 3, 1903
unless | should deem it my DUTY to resign
at an earlier date. / justified the announce
ment so long in advance upon the ground
that the people, and those who might
aspire to the office, were entitled season
ably to know from me that | would not ac-
cept reelection. Despite that declara-
ton. circumstances with which the people
of the state are familiar, and which there
fore need not be here recounted, seemed to
make II my duty to accept Il reelection,
preferred as it was in a manner which rem
dercd it ut once a command and finer
honor than any which | had ever dreamed
would come to me. one indeed which ought
TO satisfy the pride and ambition of any
man
A similar declaration by me at this time
however, strongly phraSed land it could not
be more strongly phrased) would. am per
Suaded. prove unavailing TO withdraw my
name from consideration during the next
two years than did that which | 50 pub
Iicly and unreserycdly made in 1900.
As my purpose to retire from public life
is and has been irrevocable, | am unwilling
to be further considered in connection with
an Office which l could not in the cirCUm-
stances accept.
4 senator will be chosen for the term
beginning on the 4th of March, 1909, and
there will he. and should be. during the
next TWO years grave and wide COnSidera-
ton among the people as to the person
upon whom the honor shall be bestowed
After much thought l deem it to be my
duty, all things considered. to the peopl'
of the state and to the party to whose
partiality | am indebted for the highest
honors within its gift to take myself now
beyond recall, from the field of possible
choice. ! am therefore. impclled. not only
for the reasons suggested, but also that
may he free to devote to the discharge Of
private duty, too long neglected. the re
mainder of my term. TO resign the Office
at this time, while the Legislature is in
session to choose senator for the uneX
pircd portion thereof.
| avail myself of this opportunity to say
albeit / am sure it is not nccdful, that |
am ineXpreSsihly grateful to the Repub-
licanS of Wisconsin for the generous and
abiding confidence which has led them three
times to elect me to the high office of SEN
ator Of the United States.
| have the honor to be yours respectfully
JOHN c. SPOONER.