{"character_count": 5080, "word_count": 891, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9406999945640564], "ccnet_perplexity": [2082.39990234375], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
lhe rcasonahlu aad almost ftAia spprslsen- sien that ia se s,ors si'ise, nnd during saeh nsomentous pleasure of bBsiDess, u would ba isnpoSsihleaa aa oh,ain . Vrnp1T investigation and decision, aas alt gnve considerations, bn. they waall 4eigb no.inag with me, | certain that, hal received the highest nasa- Der Uf votes cast feel certain. it Is true, taat, aa appeal !,o Congress. at this tlne would be sa'al denial ef jas;ice Beeaasc, some pssiai abopi evidence or tue iegalilg et .osher returns asisha he raised. and the sltne consumed in procuring such proofs wonld bring aboai the iGh of MaFcla aad end the contest. Thus wsssd sAere hc na ascsess expense and coassumptiaa ef lime to ttc 90 vernment, and the welgN and soree oF the member so whom the certIicase IS awarded, would be impaired under the ehasge shat be had TO righi there. should thus be ren- deging no actual service to my country, nay pai,y os myself, aad might consume the time of Congress wlaici, hope will be much more pFniitaalv employed.

 But ihsre is another consideration win me of paramount importance. It ioslnss U IS irnc, no excnse fsg the precedent which tho Secretary of StaSc has established, and from which wholly dissent; bal J could never hereafter respect myself could ] accept an election, when there was doslbt as to whether had received the highest num'er of votes. By the suhloined letter from the clerk of Mississippi county. written on the very day when the returns from Pike couH- ,r arrixed, ii wilI he seen, thai the clerk of Mississippi county failed to send up a part of the returns of ihas county, untler the saiue nsiscuncep,ion of his duty, or al least owing to the same neslce; of the judges of the cleo lion. which caused the dispute about those in Crawford county. entertain 40 doubt but these votes ought to be counted. And had the clerk ascertailed their numbers should at once have insisted on their being computed.

 Immediately ovI being shown lhis letter by Col Newton. my resolution was taken. | at once ,le,ermlnel, and Immediately so stated to Gov Adams and Judge Oldham, that If the certificate should be awarded to me, l would ascertain whether the two town- ships rejected by the cletk of Marion coup- ty, for know not what informaIity. placed me ahead of Col Newton; and if they did mol, not 10 take my seat.

 base not my right to an office upon the manner or time of progiag that. an elected but upon the number nf votes cast by those entitled to suffrage The decisions of of ticers may respect; hut slis can never coG- fer ca me tigt.s refused by lhe people, nor could suffer them to fnake me the ia>lrE- meht of defeating the will of the people. But, as know not what the vote in Marion was, or for whom cast. shall not undertake ta hunt 1t up with view of con.sstIng Col. Newton's right 10 his seat. Whenever l shall ascertain, shall simply give the fact to the public.

 For myself h1ve nothing to regret. l became a candidate under circumstances when my friends could not see how could well withdraw After three democratic can d,lates were in the Gel,l, caused 10 tfoubt by the unfortunate, aud l trust temporary ,Iissensions of the party, there was no secarity that ny wiih1fawal would have secured a timely concentration on anather candilnts. Every honorable opponent am sure will feel convinced that, l ran the race fairly and honosably, and never ouee ,le- tracted from the merits or claims of a com pesitor.

 For the decision of my own party. as far as expressed m my favor, feel graiitied, and regret as much as any one can that eoncen- tra.ioa could not have been had upon some oitlee, and success ihas secured. If it slaH hereafter he asceriaiied that, we are defeated by numbers, aud this example can he made useful n securing unaHimItv, 1 shall he well repaid for all the suspense. aHxiety, aud dis appointment which l may bc.fsurpose, to have felt, during the extraordinary iine con- suined n asceFiaiaing the ressl1s.

 Computing numbers. ard considering all the circumstances. there never aas stronger evfieurs of the -tiseslocfaiic strength in Ar kansas. than in the present election.

 The combined yote of tl,e Democrat ma- jority. is pFoportionahty greater than st any prevIous time That, on q more important oc- casion they will forget all past jealousies wIll still believe. As for myself let who will have caused the tse(eat, or no matter what injustice any Democrat ,Day have lone me during the caasass, regard ihe punish- ment which such, if true pafaizans must feel, as quite sufficient and most cordially and heartily. SO far as am concerned, do for give them.

 And, II ihe votes ef Col. Newton shaii be in accordance with ,hr views of a majority of the people of Arkansas shall be willing to award to hinn all the merit which IS due him

 The facts, trust. will make returning el- icers, on N hom the precedent in this decis- ion imposes so heavy responsibility, anore careful of the peoples rights. GEO. ". 7AScIIAL.

 Liais Rock, l8sh Jan, ls17,'

  To THE SgcRErARY OF SfssE or ARKASxAs. We the subscribers Alexander Mclean.