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Letter to Editor
July 29, 1837
Richmond Indiana Palladium
Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana
What is this article about?
In a 1837 letter to fellow citizens of Cambridge City, A. F. Shortridge campaigns for County Recorder, highlighting his family's pioneering role in the county and arguing that his youth should not disqualify him from public office, pledging dedicated service if elected.
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Fellow Citizens--we are approaching the day when the hopes of the different candidates for office in this County will be realized or prostrated. My name has been before you for several years as a candidate for County Recorder, and probably to ensure your suffrages, I should have visited you all individually: a combination of circumstances prevented me to do so, and I therefore, wish at the present crisis to speak briefly to you through the public prints. I found no claims to your suffrages, upon the ground that I have been identified with your county from my boyhood, and have ever been ready to assist in advancing the interest of the community as far as my abilities and circumstances permitted.
My parents and family connexions were among the first settlers of the county, and partook largely in the privations which attend the settling of a new country, contributed their quota to the present prosperous condition of this region. But none connected with my family ever solicited the suffrages of the independent citizens of this county for any office. May then one member of a less favored connexion, fitly ask your votes for an office which he believes himself to possess indisputably the requisite qualifications. The fact of being a young man, ought not to be a barrier in your way to invest me with the office to which I aspire. Is it not politic that a community should draw as much usefulness from an individual as he can yield, and the earlier a young man becomes useful to the public the more good he can yet do. If public opinion decrees that none shall be placed into office before he has reached the meridian of life! Let young men of enterprise know that seniority is not the only qualification for offices of trust and many of them will begin early a race of usefulness to their country. Friends and fellow citizens, start me in the career of public services, and I will pledge myself, to unremitted attempt to benefit my country.
Yours respectfully,
A. F. SHORTRIDGE
Cambridge City, July 29, 1837.
My parents and family connexions were among the first settlers of the county, and partook largely in the privations which attend the settling of a new country, contributed their quota to the present prosperous condition of this region. But none connected with my family ever solicited the suffrages of the independent citizens of this county for any office. May then one member of a less favored connexion, fitly ask your votes for an office which he believes himself to possess indisputably the requisite qualifications. The fact of being a young man, ought not to be a barrier in your way to invest me with the office to which I aspire. Is it not politic that a community should draw as much usefulness from an individual as he can yield, and the earlier a young man becomes useful to the public the more good he can yet do. If public opinion decrees that none shall be placed into office before he has reached the meridian of life! Let young men of enterprise know that seniority is not the only qualification for offices of trust and many of them will begin early a race of usefulness to their country. Friends and fellow citizens, start me in the career of public services, and I will pledge myself, to unremitted attempt to benefit my country.
Yours respectfully,
A. F. SHORTRIDGE
Cambridge City, July 29, 1837.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Political
What themes does it cover?
Politics
What keywords are associated?
County Recorder
Election Campaign
Youth In Office
Public Service
Pioneering Family
Cambridge City
What entities or persons were involved?
A. F. Shortridge
Fellow Citizens
Letter to Editor Details
Author
A. F. Shortridge
Recipient
Fellow Citizens
Main Argument
a. f. shortridge seeks election as county recorder, emphasizing his lifelong connection to the county through his pioneering family and arguing that his youth should not prevent him from serving, as early public involvement benefits the community; he pledges dedicated efforts to advance the country's interests if elected.
Notable Details
Family Among First Settlers, Shared Privations And Contributed To Prosperity
No Prior Family Solicitations For Office
Youth As Potential For Greater Long Term Usefulness
Pledge To Unremitted Attempts To Benefit Country