33 Prospect Park West
Brooklyn, June 27 - '04
My dear Governor Woodruff,
Ever since you and Mrs. Woodruff called here the night of my reception to Martin Hrvey I have occasionally thought of writing to gracification. When you came into the neighborhood and began entertaining so handsomely you invited my wife and me several times. Mrs. Kennedy's health was not equal to giving entertainments and we were therefore unwilling to accept distinguished hospitalities from others, and so we did not come. But, ever since that summer at Lakeville I have cherished an unabated fondness for you and I have greatly rejoiced at your success. And now I want you to know that you may count on me to do anything in my power to promote your candidancy for the governorship.
There is, however, one thing that rankles. I had been going to Albany twenty one years as the representative of the New York Board of Fire Underwriters. At the close of a very strenuous day I had my gripsack in my hand and was just about to leave for the train when Col. Dunn sent for me to come to his room. THere he and Fox told me Governor Odell desired me to call at the Executive Mansion. Having first engaged a room at the Ten Eyck I started up the hill, piloted by Fox. We remained nearly two hours, the Governor and I occupying opposite sides in an earnest discussion of a measure in which he was deeply interested; and I was no less concerneed to defeat it. At last the Governor appeared disposed to modify his demands. Then he wanted me to see the members of the Senate Finance Committee and discuss the matter with them. I went, therefore, directly to the "House of Lords." It was bed-time, and some of the men had already retired; but Krum, Higgins, and Humphrey were up, and I fought it out for hours. Humphrey got sleepy and went off to bed, but the two others stuck to me. Finally, when I was leaving, Higgins accompanied me to the door, where we hung probably fifteen minutes more. Even then I was not able to return to my hotel, but, having sent word to Andrew Fields, representative of the Mutual Life and my ally in the contest in which I was engaged that the Governor had sent for me, and promised to call and report before going to bed, I went to his house away out by the Park. At last, after another long confab, I got back to the hotel. There, although you were still up, you expressed surprise at my late hours and that I was "like the rest of them." I was able to repress the retort that nearly escaped from my lips. My resentment has long since disappeared, long, even, before your bereavement. But I never meet you that I do not feel "There is a man who has a wrong judgment of me - a man who condemned me on the evidence of one circumstance and without giving an opportunity to explain."
But I repeat my assurance of support. I have no political aspirations and am thus exempt from the grindings of envy. It really gratified me to see the man with whom I summered nearly a quarter of a century ago so prosperous so distinguished, and so eminent.
Ever my dear Governor, faithfully Your's
E. R. Kennedy