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The Temple of Silence, G.K. Chesterton

This is a very cynical story.  Horne Fisher is manipulated into running for parliament by his brothers and friends.  He speaks truly, logically, and from the heart, and he wins over the populace.

However, his friends/brothers didn't want him to win, they just wanted him to siphon off enough votes to let their favored, and much more dishonest, candidate win.  Horne-Fisher learns of the plot. He still wins the election, but never goes to parliament.

Chesterton has a strongly cynical bent--evil/dishonesty are frequently uncovered by Horne-Fisher, but then he decides it would be worse for England if the truth ever came out.

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