Year: 1876


been picked up near the court house the 9TH
er day:


PERU, H., July TO- 1876.


My DEAR FRIEND SAMUEL--Slnce our
long conversation at the Clifton House lasf
week, some things have transpired OF which
/ need not acquaint you, that firmly setlie
me in my determination to follow your ad-
vice and dll0o my name to be used Dy my re-
publican friends as candidate Tor represen-
tative to congress, subject always to the de-
clsion of the Republican Congressional Con-
vention to be held in the future. l do this,
not for the honor connected with the Office,
for that has grown to be very doubtful arti-
cle-and had rather be known as an honest
mechanic than as dishonest politician. Nor
do | undertake it for the money there is in
it, for | already have enough to satisfy me
or any other honest man. But the only
thing that induces me to make the race Is be-
cause | am fully convinced that | am the
only man in the district that can heat Camp
bell. And now that | am fairly started,
don't propose to be beaten by any in fair
means, and of course shall use nothing but
the fairest fair means to get the nomination.
/ would announce myself-or rather let
my friend "Many Voters" do 1t for me-in
the Ottawa Republican, but Cullen is a candi.
date himself, and might not like it; or in the





and might infringe on his vested rights; or
the La sale Press, but Stevens is a candidate
for Sheriff, and of course would not like to
get mixed up in Congressional matters; or IN
Mendoza, but there is friend Corbus, a candi-
date for the same doubtful hOnors; and go
where will IN this or adjoining counties,
always find few candidates whose vested
rights dare not trample upon under the
Civil Service Bill, and so there is nothing
left for me except to quietly drop note to a
few of my many friends, and ask them to
kindly mention my name ia connection with
the office-tO let it be known that / am WILL
Ing to take it for the good of the country,
and especially for the good of the republican
party; and so wish you would kindly fur
nish me with the list of the names of few
friends in your section that can be relied on,
that | may safely correspond with. Also
please say-very OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES you
would consider few weeks of your valuable
time worth, to be devoted to my Interests in
other portions of the district; or if you are
opposed to being h5red out politically-a
:hing which very much depracate and alb
hor-why If | succeed in getting the office,
when go on to Washington, if there Is any
thing that you or any friends want that is IN
nay line, will reciprocate as cheertuly and
as cheaply as any republican you ever saw.


As far as this county is concerned, | am
sure | can go into the convention with
delegation instructed to GO for me solid first,
last and all the time, as the only candidates
that have heard OF so far are Billy Cullen,
Charley Blanchard, Sam Plumb, Frank Cor
win, Dock Corbus, Elmer Baldwin, Judge
Elkredge, Folett Bull, Elijah Spicer, Sam
H. Davis and few others of the same stripe,
and 1t is agreed by all their most intimate
friends that not one Of them can beat Camp.
IN Ill tgN tkn
other counties, or their candidates, and don't
know but that some Of them can carry the
delegation of their own counties-unless it
is soon made known that am a candidate
and If they should, and the delegates be in.
struCted to stand by them as ours will be TO
stand by me, it may lead to compromise on
the basis of the Great Unknown. Then good
bye Republicanism in La Sale county
Campbell will reelected, Lew Steward in
all probability made governor, and we may
not carry single Office Ia the county.


Sam, I think if were in your place
would not announce myself as a candidate
for Circuit Clerk this fall, as things are very
much mixed up just now, and there are so
many other good republicans that ere willing
TO take it, that 1t will be sort of rough and
tumble fight, and Of course | would feel a
dellcacy In pitching in to help you, as it
might offend somebody and bust me, and
and make Campbell his own successor. No,
Sam, you help me this time, and will swing
you in high and dry the next time Then
Bill johnson promises that if | will only
stick to the track he will not offer himself tor
sheriff, and | guess John Smith has about
concluded that it will be best for the interests
of the Republican party to leave the Oeice of
Recorder iG the hands of the Germans anoth
er term, and Phil Okiley says he is now
fully convinced that the "best interests of the
Republican party" demand that the Ameri-
can element should continue to control the
office of County Attorney. Magnanmous
souls If we only had enough such pure,
disinterested patriots we could beat Campbell
easily, and might be permitted to remain
in my shop and with my family.


| will write you again in few days. as
things develope, touching this and the other
offices, and perhaps offer some suggestions as
to the best mode of procedure; but as | have
great many friends in other portions of the
county and district that | must write to,
will have to close for the present.


Please say to my many friends, as you
meet them, that don't propose to say or do
anything in this canvass but what is strictly
republican, and can be endorsed by every
sound republican throughout the whole
length and breath Of our glorious Republic.
But we must beat Campbell, or we "go where
the woodbine twineth''


Very earnestly and confidentialiy, your
friend B. JoHNATHAN.