"WASHINGTON, _January 29, 1842_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--Your letter of the 18th Dec. has remained a long time
without an answer, and I cannot now answer it, but a single subject
collateral to it.
"Within the last two days I have received two letters concerning your
Post-Office matters, which have deserved and received my attention. I
cannot do here all my friends ask, and have a right to ask, and from me
especially, deserve, but I try to do all I can; and yet unselfishness
and indolence may often induce me to think that I do what I can, when
I might do much more. I fear I have exhibited myself to you in this
way in reference to your Post-Office. But of that I have not time to
write, nor do I wish you to think, as I know you give me more credit
for faithfulness than I merit, and I give you every possible credit for
valuable and faithful friendship. I will, therefore, to the New Lebanon
Post-Office.
"Mr. Edmunds and Mr. Bryant, of the _Evening Post_, are the gentlemen
to whose letters I refer. As the Senate did not meet to-day, I have
had the day to devote to business of this character, and I have just
returned, at 3 o'clock P.M., from a day most pleasantly spent in
attention to them.
"Upon a personal call at the Post-Office Department I learned that,
in September last, an application was made to have the name of the
post-office at the Springs changed from that of 'Columbia Hall' to that
of 'New Lebanon Springs,' and to have Mr. Bull removed as postmaster
and Mr. Nichols appointed. Both these things were done, and Mr.
Fuller, the Assistant Postmaster-General, who has the charge of the
appointments, supposed at the time, and now supposes, that the effect
of that action was to remove the office from the Springs to Lebanon
village, the location of the New Lebanon post-office, when you kept it.
I suppose he is wholly mistaken, and as you are a matter-of-fact man,
I wish you to send me papers properly signed by such disinterested men
as you may see to be the most proper men, showing where the office was
kept under Mr. Bull and where it is kept under Mr. Nichols; and in the
same papers you may show, if you please, where your office was kept
and where the office you formerly held is now kept. Let the papers be
directed to the Postmaster-General, and have no political, but a mere
local bearing, and make a map which will be plain, and if convenient
let the men who vouch the facts be Whigs as well as Democrats.
"You must find my apology for this very hasty and bad-looking letter in
the fact that since I began to write it I have heard of the death of a
member of our body, Mr. Dixon, of Rhode Island, and have been summoned
to attend his remains and participate in arrangements for his funeral,
and I have been anxious that this should go to-night and found it would
not if I did not enclose it before I left for that solemn duty.
"Most truly yours,
"SILAS WRIGHT, JR.
"_Elam Tilden, Esq._"