"WASHINGTON, _December 6, 1841_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--Your favor of the 15th ult., directed to me at my home,
came round to me here on this day. I left home on the day of the date
of your letter, and when I reached New York found you had left there
but a day or two before. I had a very pleasing visit from your son at
my room at the City Hotel, but should have been greatly pleased if your
visit to the city had been prolonged, as my stay was unusually long and
I could have seen more of you than I have been enabled to see for many
years.
"Our victory has been truly great and gratifying, and yet your strong,
practical thinking has, in my judgment, brought you, as it almost
always does, to a correct conclusion as to consequences. If the Whigs
had retained the Senate for this year it would probably have been
easier for us to have regained the State completely next year. We must
not, however, complain of prosperity, and especially when it comes,
as I think it has come now, by the sole energies of "the sober second
thought" of an honest people. We must meet the crisis as it meets
us. We must show the people the truth as to our finances, and then
act as honest men would act, determined to pay their debts and avoid
insolvency. Everything hangs upon the action of our Legislature during
the coming session. If our friends in that body are bold and frank
and honest the people will sustain them, but if they underrate the
intelligence and patriotism of the people and continue the attempts to
humbug them and to purchase their good-will by their own credit sold
in the market at eighty cents for the dollar, we shall as certainly be
beaten next fall as we have beaten the Whigs this. These seem to me to
be truths so plain that no one can mistake them, and I still tremble
with fear lest some of those elected to the legislature as Republicans
may, from mistaken views, from apprehensions of local expediency, from
selfish interests, or from some other improper or unwise impulse, urge
a continuance of our system of extravagance and resist the measures
indispensably necessary to a return to health and soundness.
"I have little fear of what may be done here beyond what was done at
the extra session. An effort will doubtless be made to rouse the tariff
feeling again, but our point, as I think, should be to raise no more
revenue in any way, or for any purpose, until the land-distribution
bill is repealed and the system of giving away the revenue we have is
formally abandoned.
"I have very little hope from President Tyler, except that he may
prevent some mischief which his party would otherwise do. I do not
think there is enough of him to build upon, or that he has enough of
the democratic principles and sympathies left to govern him.
"I have not a moment of time more. Please let me hear often, and
believe me,
"Most respectfully,
"And truly yours,
SILAS WRIGHT, JR."
"_Elam Tilden, Esq._