BOSTON--One year after beginning what he called a "journey of purpose," former Massachusetts Sen. Paul E. Tsongas suspended his campaign for the presidency yesterday, saying he did not have enough money to run an adequate campaign.

"It was clear that we did not have the resources necessary to fight the media war in New York," Tsongas told several hundred supporters and members of the media yesterday afternoon at the Parker House Hotel. "I would have been defined by others with no capacity to defend myself."

While many supporters shed tears, Tsongas' words were upbeat, focusing on what he said he felt were the successes of his campaign.

"I believe the force of our message and our sheer survival has caused people all over this country to see a new path," Tsongas said, reading a speech he prepared yesterday morning. "It is a steeper and harder path. But it is more compelling and more noble. It is the path of America's future."

Tsongas, who was the first Democrat to seek the 1992 nomination, took the initial lead after winning the New Hampshire primary and several other states early in the race.

But the former senator took a beating in the Southern primaries held on Super Tuesday, March 10. And Tsongas' rival Bill Clinton appeared to take a commanding lead in Michigan and Illinois primaries held Tuesday.

According to Tsongas' campaign manager DennisKanin, Tsongas began considering exiting the raceTuesday night.

Kanin said Tsongas reached a decision aftermeeting Wednesday night with his wife NikkiTsongas, Kanin and key fund-raiser Nicholas Rizzo.

Tsongas "suspended" his campaign rather thanofficially ending it, a move that Tsongas saidallows his pledged delegates from states in whichprimaries have already been held to attend theJuly Democratic National Convention in New York.He said, however, that he had no intention ofre-entering the campaign.

Tsongas said recent financial support for hiscampaign had been strong and that troubles wereactually rooted in poor fundraising yields earlyin the campaign. Tsongas made public his plans toseek the nomination on March 7, 1991.

"The problem is that we were starved, and ifmoney is the mother's milk of politics, ourmothers didn't show up until late January,"Tsongas said.

"This campaign was lost in 1991 because of theresources," Tsongas said. "It was almost rescuedin '92 by the message."

Tsongas, who left the Senate due to a bout withcancer and has since rebounded to good health,said his only other option, given his financialsituation, was to be the "spoiler" in the race forthe nomination.

"That is not worthy," Tsongas said. "I did notsurvive my ordeals to be the agent of GeorgeBush's re-election."

Tsongas' departure leaves a two-man fight forthe nomination between Arkansas Gov. Bill Clintonand former California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.

Tsongas said that he spoke with all of hisformer opponents--including earlier contenders forthe nomination who have also left therace--earlier in the day. While he stopped shortof projecting certain victory for Clinton, Tsongassaid he thought Clinton was "certainly in thedriver's seat."

Tsongas, whose political career began with hiselection to the Lowell City Council in 1968 andcontinued through four years in Congress and oneterm in the Senate, said he told Clinton, "You'rethe only person who has ever defeated me, and myhat's off to you."

Tsongas did not endorse either candidate.

In recent weeks, Tsongas had portrayed thecampaign as a two-man race between Clinton andhim.

Asked yesterday whether he still doubted theiconoclastic Brown was a viable candidate, Tsongasgave him a more favorable assessment than he hasin the past.

"Give Jerry Brown credit," Tsongas said. "We'llsee how his message evolves now that I'm not inthe race."

Tsongas said he would be meeting with bothBrown and Clinton in the near future.

As late as last weekend, Tsongas had ruled outrunning for vice president on a Clinton ticket,but he refused to confirm whether he still feltthat way yesterday.

"I promised the group last night after we metthat I would make no statements on my future,"Tsongas said.

Nevertheless, he said he would have some sortof role in the rest of the campaign, saying thathe now had a responsibility to help get a Democratin the White House.

"I will be a player," Tsongas said. "I am nowthe message that people have responded to. Wedidn't have the resources--we had the message."

Allen H. Erbsen '93, who chaired Tsongas'student support group at Harvard, said he thoughtthe campaign was successful in getting out itsmessage and that Tsongas "would have been the bestbearer" of that message as president.

Erbsen said he thinks that the entire party,rather than a single candidate, will benefit fromTsongas' departure, since much of the mudslingingand negative advertising of the campaign had beendirected at him.

"There's a definite interest in party unity,"Erbsen said.CrimsonLily J. WoundFormer Mass. Sen. PAUL E. TSONGAS announceshis decision to withdraw from the race for theDemocratic presidential race.