T. S___y to Richard Yates

               Kendall Ill Dec. 14/64

Dear Sir

            I am one of your greatest admirers and am very anxious that you should obtain the Senatorship in the (place?) of the present incumbent from information through other sources I regret to learn that like many others of our greatest men you are adicted to intemperance if so I Know how to feel for you, I had to adopt total abstinence in 1816 to avoid the temptations offered me in every house as I was visiting the sick from house to house, and thereby escaped_.  Seeing the evils of the habit in one of my pasients I adapted the total abstinence pledge over 30 years since

and have succeeded in raising a family of 7 children who none of them hardly know how liquor of any kind tastes Not so with my brothers three of whom are occupiing drunKards graves and the fourth tottering on the brink of the fourth grave with no hope of reform

  Now my dear friend I write this to you as a sincere and earnest admirer of your worth and talent to entreat you to adopt the only recourse which is safe  Total Abstinancy  which is the only recourse of safety and then I have fears that in some unfortunate moment you may be tempted to break through on even your resolutien and fall as one of my three brothers

did after seven years total abstinanance & continued to drink until his death, so with many others My experience of more than 70 years is that only with the help of the grace of god will any man be able to Keep the Pledge unto the end. In the office which you seek and to which you will in all probability be elected you do need divine wisdom to direct you and for the world to come if not already a true Disiple of our Lord Jesus I do entreat you seek his forgiveness and aid, for he has promised his grace shall be suffitient for all who put their trust in him.

My dear friend I have written the within to you not as an enemy- but for your good and the good of my State as well as your own personal honor and eternal wellfare if you take offence at what I have written I pray you to forgive me, for if I Know my own heart I am your Sincere friend and well wisher

                         Truly yours

                         T. ( S_ p?)

Governor R. Yates

S___y. T

Kendall Dec 14th 64

Takes great interest in your welfare &c would like to see you succeed in your aspirations for Senatorship- Alludes to habit of drinking- Had three Bro's who filled Drunkard's graves & an another who trembles on the brink_ The best way is to adopt the Total Abstinance rule & live up to doctrines taught by scripture and follow the meek and lowly savior &c

A good deal about nothing