William Short to Peyton Short, 3 October 1783

I am in Haste to answer your Letter rec^d yesterday by m^r Tazewell— in Haste to alter your Resolution on the Business of electioneering— Let me insist that you offer at the first Opportunity— if Kee vacates— do not fail— for be assured if that Place be filled this Fall it will be Difficult to oust the Occupier in the Spring— if you succeed you enter immediately the proper School for calling your Talents into Play— if ityou do not you lose no Time & give the People warning that you will be at their Service— next Time— Believe me my dear Brother there is nothing in this Business equal to being known personally to the People— & believe me also— that being a Candidate is the best Mode of being known— even if you should be disappointed— And this I can not believe will happen if you take proper Measures & are opposed only by young Hands— If one of them, I mean Cart. Harrison is ineligible by Means of non residency— I must insist on your offering at the first Election— I have ten thousand unanswerable Reasons for it— & I may without Vanity say— no Body is so capable of judging on this Subject as myself— I have more lately travelled over the Road that you are now on than any Body who wishes your Welfare as much as I do— If my Advice deserves any Weight with you be sure do not fail in making yourself known to the People by being very active at all public Places when in their Presence— talk loud— talk much— wear a bold Face & they will be sure you have Wisdom to see their Interests & Spirit to assert it— Let me tell you there is no Post in this Government so respectable & so desirable for a Young Man as a Seat in the Legislature— Let me assure you the Affection of the People is the most honorary Mark of Distinction a young Man can have— it is worth cultivating with Assiduity— I could write forever on this Subject— but to interrupt you no longer— let me say all in this— Make every Exertion to be elected in the Fall— but offer as a Candidate even at the Certainty of being disappointed— Pay Court to m^r. Kee & his Part of the Country— they will probably decide the Event— but pay Court to all— if you see a Surry Man in W^mburg— pay him particular Attention— it is <…> a Citizen of this Commonwealth deserves— & Attention paid to a Man when from Home make a lasting Impression— I will write to you on other Subjects— very soon— I got arrived here yesterday

Adieu