Part 34

"I am, Yours, "JACOB S. GOULD."

In pencil by Henry A. Tilden:

"SAML.,--Monday, 3 o'c. Just received. You see by it how matters stand."

D. MAGONE TO TILDEN

"OGDENSBURG, N. Y., _Aug. 21, 1874_.

"DEAR SIR,--Your telegram, kindly inviting me to be present at the meeting of the Democratic State committee to-day, was received. It was impracticable for me to attend, and I could not tell where a telegram would reach you. I write now to return thanks for your courtesy in inviting me to be present. I do not share the fears of many of our friends that Governor Dix's personal popularity will carry the radical ticket successfully through the coming canvass; on the contrary, I believe our prospects good, if we are honest with ourselves and judicious in selecting candidates.

"I am opposed to selecting a candidate for Governor from the judges of the Court of Appeals. Either Hon. Clarkson N. Potter or Hon. John Ganson would make a fair candidate, but my first and last choice is yourself. My position in your case is precisely what you know it was at the time, in 1872, our mutual and esteemed friend, Hon. Francis Kernan, was talked of as a probable nominee. Mr. Kernan's religious convictions were the first, if not the only objection suggested by those opposed to his nomination; in your case the first if not the only objection urged is that your courageous and successful attack upon a corrupt ring in our party will lessen the vote for you, it being always suggested in this connection that the old and corrupt ring still control a large vote, especially in your city. I say away with such abject fears! If our party friends will not support brave, honest men because a ring of plunderers and their retainers may be displeased, then let our opponents succeed, and we will at least escape the responsibility always attending political power. This has been and is my position on the question.

"Respectfully Yours, "D. MAGONE, JR."

ALVA H. TREMAIN TO TILDEN

"ALBANY, _Sept. 10, 1874_.

"MY DEAR SIR,--I am in receipt of your circular and letter which came to hand to-day. Enclosed find a corrected list of working-men as you desire.

"I also assume the liberty of addressing you the following, which please consider confidential. The position of things in this county and the influences which I believe are working against yourself prompt these suggestions.

"The _regular committees_ of our city and county will send to the State convention 12 delegates, all able, prominent, representative, and live working-men and Democrats. They are, I think, with good reason, unanimously in favor of your nomination. There will, however, be a contesting delegation from here, made from powers wielded by a county committee which commenced its existence about 4 months since, which is being controlled by its president, John McEwen, and supported by the _Argus_. I think I hazard nothing in stating that in my judgment this last delegation, together with the entire power of the _Argus_ and the 'Canal Ring' here, which support them, are inimical to your nomination and will do all they can to defeat you. The developments which have been watched, and especially these within the last two days in connection with the Liberal Republican convention, I think fully sustain all I say, and even _more_. The whole of these 3 powers were used to their utmost strength during the last 2 days to drive you from the field and to force the renomination of Mr. Church. This plan was fought against by our delegation and those acting therewith, and to their ingenious and proper management in a great degree is the result attributable which prevented the naming of Mr. Church by their convention. The _Argus_, McEwen, and their supporters, we believe, are doing all they can to fill up your path. We are disposed to keep it clear and to give you our individual support.

"You are, of course, aware that _our_ admission to the State convention is to be opposed as bitterly as it can be by the _same powers_ which are named above as being opposed _to you_. We are therefore very anxious to receive your support in procuring our admission as regular delegates into said convention. The self-same persons, we believe, which are massed against us are consolidated agst. you. The success of our delegation will add to your soldiers. Knowing you will have much to say in regard to the committee before whom we must appear, I sincerely trust you will see that it is so composed that bolting committee delegations cannot oust those who represent the regular committees from this county, who have aided you in fighting our political battles so ably for the last 40 years. When I can be of further service, please let me know. Shall be happy to acknowledge any attention you may conclude to extend.

Your obdt. servant, "ALVA H. TREMAIN."

HORATIO SEYMOUR TO TILDEN

"UTICA, _Sept. 11, 1874_.

"MY DEAR SIR,--I have been confined to my house for some days, so that I have not been able to see Mr. Kernan. To-day he is out of town. To-morrow I shall go to the north part of our county to attend the district convention, which I shall get to send me to Syracuse. I have to go thirty miles to reach it, as it is held in a remote corner of our county. As I wrote you before, the State has been scoured by your opponents. The State officers are hostile, and every canal official is at work to keep your friends out of the convention. In Oneida we have more than one hundred miles of canals running into all sections of its territory. I shall not be surprised if I encounter a sharp opposition to-morrow. It is not open opposition alone which is to be contended with. Men are put forward who claim to be your friends who are to be convinced in due time that it will not be expedient to nominate you, although they hold you in high regard, etc., etc.

"A high compliment is paid to you by men who have schemes when they show that they do not want you in Albany. So far as your fame and honor are concerned, it will be fortunate for you if they succeed, for the whole press, which will be hostile or silent if you are put into the field, will be full of your praises if it is held that you are too honest to be made a Governor.

"Truly yours, &c., "HORATIO SEYMOUR."

"_Hon. S. J. Tilden._"

FRANCIS KERNAN TO TILDEN

"UTICA, _Sept. 12, 1874_.

"MY DEAR SIR,--I came home from Binghamton to-day, where I have been several days. I see the opposition to you has taken a new phase within a few days. Your opponents are seeking to have you resign in favor of Judge Church. I do not think you can now do so with propriety. The matter of a candidate for Governor has been canvassed for weeks; it has been understood by us all that Judge Church would not take a nomination; there were many reasons why, being chief justice, he should not vacate the position and leave it to be filled by appointment for a year. Your name has been canvassed, and your friends have taken strong ground in favor of your nomination; now those who have been opposed to you, not your friends, ask you to retire that Judge Church may be nominated. In my judgment you should not take the responsibility of this step; the matter has progressed so far that I think you should leave the matter to your friends and the convention which is about to assemble. I see no other way out of the matter but in thus acting.

"The delegates in this district were elected to-day. The one from the city will vote for you, and the others also, as I believe.

"From all I can learn I think the convention will be in favor of your nomination. I shall be at Syracuse Tuesday evening.

Yours, in haste, "FRANCIS KERNAN."

N. W. PARKER TO TILDEN (TELEGRAM)

"HAMILTON, N. Y., _Sept. 16, 1874_.

"I am too ill to attend the convention. My judgment is that on no account should you withdraw your name as candidate for Governor. Better suffer defeat. Circumstances seem to me to require it, and I submit it with my best wishes.

"N. W. PARKER."

TILDEN TO HON. A. BIRDSALL

"NEW YORK, _Sept. 19, 1874_.

"MY DEAR SIR,--I take the earliest occasion, on my return home, to thank you for the timely and friendly tone of yours of the 11th.

"It may be that there is much in the speculations you make as to the causes of the sudden and active opposition to my nomination. If so, it is very foolish. Nothing is gained to an individual and much is lost to a party by forecasting so far in advance of time and events. That I never do. Mr. Wright once said to me that men who fix their eye on a distant object are apt to fail to see the sticks and stones in the path immediately before them, and to stumble and fall.

"The truth is, I did not come to entertain the idea of taking a nomination until the 21st of Aug. Like yourself, I have seen everything. There are no illusions in my mind in respect to public life. I know that peace, content, and happiness are only in a private station; and it is wholly exceptional in me to do what I am now doing.

"I shall be happy to hear from you whenever it may suit your convenience to write.

"In the mean time, believe me, &c., "S. J. TILDEN."

HORATIO SEYMOUR TO TILDEN

"UTICA, _Sept. 20, 1874_.

"MY DEAR SIR,--I have read with pleasure your speech made at the serenade. It is clear and able. It was a better time to make it than in the convention, as it would have interrupted its action when all was going on well. But there are reasons why you should not make any more speeches. If you do you must speak about national affairs, as you cannot talk about yourself. This will turn away attention from the points we wish to keep in men's minds. It will also put you into antagonism with many Republicans who are disposed to vote for you for home reasons. As matters stand, you can make no speech which will help you with those we hope to gain from the other side. You will also draw upon yourself the fire of journals which are disposed to beat you fairly. I am clear that the true policy is to look after organizations, etc. I will write again soon.

"Truly yours, &c., "HORATIO SEYMOUR."

P. H. COWEN TO TILDEN

(ADVICE VOLUNTEERED BUT NOT FOLLOWED)

"COWEN'S LAW OFFICE, NO. 15 TOWN HALL BUILDING, "SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y., _Sept. 21, 1874_.

"MY DEAR SIR,--We have known each other for many years; have passed through many heated political campaigns together, striving for the same political results; therefore I hope you will not deem it amiss if I write you a short letter. I premise by saying what every one knows--that without the aid of the personal friends of Tweed the State ticket this fall will be defeated by forty thousand majority. Can his friends be made our friends in this campaign? I answer 'yes.' You inquire, 'How can this be done?'

"The object of criminal punishment in theory and practice, as laid down by all elementary writers, is to reform the offender, to deter him and others from committing like offences, and to protect society. Has not this object been accomplished in the case of Tweed? Gen. Dix, if elected, will not pardon him; will you? If his friends have your promise, when elected, to pardon, will they not put in a half million into a fund for your success? Then let them say to their friends in each county that they desire your election _for a purpose_, and we have the whole strength of the Democratic party. That will not, perhaps, be enough. Let the temperance men be paid and their organizations sustained by money, and success is certain. Let one man in each Assembly district be re-elected who will be in the secret and have the desired funds, who will thoroughly work his district--both in getting out the Democrats and taking care of the temperance people--and you have the desired result. You and the reformers can afford this promise. I am not and never was a Tweed man--I thought his punishment just--yet I think he has been confined long enough for all purposes, legal, moral, or political. The above is a bold proposition; if you think of it, it will appear a just one. But be that as it may, without some such move we cannot carry the State. Excuse me if in writing thus I presume too much.

"Yours Respectfully, "P. H. COWEN."

TILDEN FOR GOVERNOR

(THE COURSE OF THE ADMINISTRATION PRESS REVIEWED)

(_From the New York "Tribune"_)

It is very much to the credit of the administration journals of the State that, so far as they discussed beforehand the claims and qualifications of the several candidates for the Democratic nomination for Governor, they frankly recognized the fact that the logic of the Democratic professions of reform pointed unmistakably to the gentleman who was nominated at Syracuse on Thursday. Indeed, they almost may be said to have advised and urged his nomination. In doing this we give them credit for rising above the narrowness of partisanship, and for taking into view the great public benefit to be derived from having for the candidates of both parties men of distinguished ability and unimpeachable integrity, instead of following the instincts of a petty and unpatriotic selfishness by endeavoring to induce their opponents to weaken and stultify themselves. Mr. Tilden, at no small risk of personal popularity and political influence, and with no conceivable motive but a desire for the public good, had fairly revolutionized his own party. In arresting the corrupt and profligate career of the Ring that ruled it, he has contributed to its temporary defeat. But the movement he led was a success, and the party was shrewd enough to discern in the signs of the times the wisdom of assuming the responsibility and claiming the credit for the reform. They have done this persistently.

It was plain enough to the most casual observer that from the moment Mr. Tilden consented to have his name presented as the candidate for Governor of the party to which he had been so conspicuous in administering discipline, that party could not reject him without confessing the insincerity of its boasting over what was in so marked degree his work. Not to have nominated him would have been justly considered a rebuke and a warning to any and all who should hereafter put party success in jeopardy for the sake of putting a stop to public robbery. The administration newspapers which pointed out the folly and danger of such a course deserve praise for rising above the small strategy, hypocrisy, and trickery so common in politics. We have already expressed the opinion that the convention which nominated Mr. Tilden was driven to it by the logic of events and as a consequence of its professions of reform. That the nomination is offensive to a considerable number of the party, who were directly or indirectly disturbed by Tweed's overthrow, is an admitted fact; and there was, no doubt, considerable hesitation in the minds of many influential leaders over the question whether, upon the whole, it would be safe to offend these people for the sake of making a consistent record for the party.

As for Mr. Tilden himself, it can be of comparatively little consequence to him personally now whether he is or is not elected. He has accomplished a great work in his party, has led a great reform, overthrown a powerful organization of municipal thieves, and compelled a recognition of his services more emphatic and pronounced in the mere form of the nomination than an election could be under any other circumstances. We presume he has not deceived himself with the idea that the administration journals which have heretofore bestowed upon him such copious praise, and have so frankly pointed out to his party his strength as a candidate, have thereby estopped themselves from attacking his principles and his character. As citizens, the gentlemen who conduct these newspapers are doubtless glad to be assured that, whatever may be the result of the election, the office of Governor will be filled by an able and upright gentleman of whom they need not be ashamed. As partisans, however, they propose to find whatever joints there may be in his harness and to defeat him if they can. One organ, we perceive already, after remarking that it does not know positively that if elected he would misuse the power intrusted to him, calls attention to the fact that he has acted as counsel for some of the greatest railroad corporations in the State, and suggests in a wise way that it might be very dangerous at this time to put such a man in the executive chair. Another gives him credit for his services in overthrowing the Tweed Ring, but adds that he did not do it at the right time; that he ought to have done it sooner. It does not accuse him of dishonesty, but feels compelled to call him a "moral coward." And so they go. Of course there will be a great deal of it before the campaign is over, a great deal that is mean and contemptible and dishonest, but just now we prefer to consider the unusual honesty and frankness with which the administration press treated the question before the nomination, and to give credit for sincerity and independence. When each party counsels the other to nominate its best men, and the advice is followed, we shall see purer politics and better government.

HORATIO SEYMOUR TO TILDEN

"UTICA, _Sept. 23, 1874_.

"MY DEAR SIR,--Can you keep the _Tribune_ from taking ground for Dix? It ought not to go for him, as he opposed Mr. Greeley and has upheld every act of Grant. When his whole course is laid before Mr. Reid I think he must change his views of Dix's character. I shall hurry off to Manlius this week, so that I can get back in time to attend public meetings if they are held. The quiet work of organization should take up the time for two or three weeks.

"I send Mr. Pierce to see you because I think he can put a great number of travelling merchants and tradesmen at work. They go into any part of the State and can learn what is going on. While the regular State committee should do its work, you should have in your own hands and under your own direct _private_ control agencies which will cover the ground outside of the old political machinery. If the other side do not hold meetings we should not, at the outset. There are many leading Repub'c's who do not wish to go to work in the harness if they can keep out of the canvass.

"I am, truly yours, &c., "HORATIO SEYMOUR."

CHARLES O'CONOR TO TILDEN

"_Sept. 29, 1874._

"DEAR SIR,--I wrote Miller a short note [of] congratulation. The reply recd. last evening is herewith. Can you watch the progress of things and summon me '_to the front_' when the apprehended movement is made in the association? I will cheerfully go to the meeting and oppose it.

"I cannot doubt but that an effort will be made to move the lawyers in Johnson's favor. If it be done a counter-movement to stir the reformers against him may be needful, or at least expedient.

"It will hardly be possible to keep the swindler issue out of the campaign.

"In a note from Frank Barlow, recd. yesterday, a decided opinion is expressed that Delafield Smith means to quash the Ring prosecutions.

"It really seems to me that things are ripe for a pounce upon him and the offending majority.

"I have written Miller to print what he pleases, but not to use my name. If it should become necessary to make the pounce just above suggested my name should appear there for the first time. Or at least it should not be worn out in previous skirmishes.

"I was in town yesterday and tried to see Jno. McKeon, but failed. I would go again to-day but for two reasons: first, it rains, and, secondly, the hope of controlling him in anything by friendly advice is always so slight that little inconvenience should ever be suffered for the sake of offering it.

"Y'rs, "CH. O'CONOR."

GOVERNOR TILDEN TO WILLIAM PURCELL

"_Dec. 8, '74._

"DEAR MR. PURCELL,--Will you accept a place on my staff, with the rank of Brigadier-Gen., with nominal duties and without pay, as indeed are all the offices, except the strictly military ones? This offer will not interfere with the gentleman whom you recommended, for the reasons that the consideration I mentioned to you will dictate my looking for a new man in your part of the State."

WILLIAM PURCELL (DECLINING STAFF APPOINTMENT)

"OFFICE OF THE 'DAILY UNION AND ADVERTISER,' "ROCHESTER, _Dec. 10, 1874_.

"MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--Your favor of the 8th was this morning received. It is hardly necessary for me to say that I thank you most sincerely for your very kind offer of a position on your staff with rank of Brigadier-General. But I feel constrained to decline for two principal reasons: 1st, I have no taste whatever, but rather an aversion, for military display, and could not persuade myself to appear in uniform on occasion; and I never want to take my position without doing the full duty pertaining to it. 2d, if I were to accept I might lay myself open to the suspicion or charge that while I had recommended a fellow-citizen for position necessary to serve you that I should accept, the case would be different, and I would be willing to yield my own preferences and meet the suggested thoughts of others. But I feel that by declining I enable you to give the place to some one of the many seekers after it, who have a taste for and will be glad to get it. I appreciate your reasons for declining to appoint the gentleman recommended by me, and if I were in your place I would have no one about me tainted with Hoffmanism in any way.

"Yours, &c., "WM. PURCELL."

GOVERNOR TILDEN TO JOHN KELLY

"ALBANY, _Feb'y 28, 1875_.

"My dear Sir,--Your note came this morning, and it finds me in a moment of comparative leisure which I have scarcely had for weeks, so I avail myself of the indisposition to do anything more serious to reply.

"You need not be disgusted by the awkward accident about McLaughlin, for, tho a little ridiculous, it is not serious; as I had all the elements of decision I acted at once to avoid the competition which so attractive an office was sure to cause. You will, no doubt, be surprised if I say that I acted in this case with no more celerity than I have with three-quarters of the important appointments, and nearly all the small ones which I have had to deal with. For the grumble at my delays has no doubt reached you.

"A small coterie of rogues, who, when they first recovered from the subduing effect of the election, started into a life of whispers, first circulated the rumor that I had a softening of the brain; next, that I had suffered a stroke of paralysis; then, that I went to bed drunk every night; and at last came to the statement that I had lost my 'snap'--that I had not decision or energy to make proper removals or appointments, and, indeed, had become physically unable to make up my mind about anything.

"Well, under every mountain of lies there is usually a grain of sand of truth. In the interminable conferences with public bodies and committees and officers from Nov. 5 to Dec. 25th, I did become very weary, and felt some exhaustion of nervous force and much indigestion. In the hurried preparation of the message I rested; and with all the burdens since, have recuperated, got arrears nearly cleared off, appointments made, bills--some passed and others ready--and my physique well-nigh restored after six months of heavy strain.

"As to appointments, while the most have been despatched rapidly as soon as reached, three classes have felt some delay.