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NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
1908
Copyright, 1908, by HARPER & BROTHERS.
_All rights reserved._
Published February, 1908.
_Shortly before the death of the late Samuel J. Tilden, and in
compliance with his wishes, a selection was made by our senior
colleague from such of Mr. Tilden's public writings and speeches as
were then conveniently accessible and seemed then responsive to a
popular demand. This selection was edited and published in 1885._
_The forty-second section of the will of Mr. Tilden, who died in the
following year, provided as follows:_
_"I also authorize my said Executors and Trustees to collect and
publish in such form as they may deem proper my speeches and public
documents, and such other writings and papers as they may think
expedient to include with the same, which shall be done under their
direction. The expenses thereof shall be paid out of my estate. My
Trustees and Executors are authorized and empowered to burn and destroy
any of my letters, papers or other documents, whether printed or in
manuscript, which in their judgment will answer no useful purpose to
preserve."_
_In discharge of the duty imposed on us by this clause of the
testator's will, we have selected such portions of a vast
correspondence with, or relating to, the testator as give promise of
answering a useful purpose; and at our solicitation Mr. Bigelow has
undertaken to edit and publish them in a form that shall harmonize
with, and be complementary to, the volume of "Speeches and Writings of
Mr. Tilden," already in print._
JOHN BIGELOW, } Executors
GEORGE W. SMITH, } and
L. V. F. RANDOLPH. } Trustees.