"(_Circa January 21, 1846._)
"DEAR SIR,--I have recd. your favor of the 26th inst. making certain
inquiries of me, and I very cheerfully state my recollections in regard
to them.
"On Wednesday, before the late caucus, I learned from gentlemen
of undoubted veracity that you had made to them the following
communication: You said that you would make no further propositions
in reference to the union of the _Argus_ and _Atlas_, but you invited
a proposition to be made to you, which you said would be entirely
acceptable to yourself, and expressed great confidence that your
friends in the Senate would be induced by you to confirm it. In that
event the bill to abolish the office of State Printer, pending in
the Senate, of which you expressed your decided disapprobation, you
hoped would be postponed and greatly modified or defeated, and harmony
restored to the Republican party. The result of your efforts was to be
communicated to those who were to make the proposition prior to the
assembling of the caucus. The precise offer that you invited was made
to you on Wedy. aftn.
"Hearing these facts, and having strong hopes that an amicable
arrangement satisfactory to all parties would be brought about thro'
your exertions, and having reason to believe that the great mass of the
radical Democrats of the Assembly and all those in the Senate approved
of the union of the two papers on the terms now suggested, which they
thought secured the advocacy of sound principles, you may imagine my
surprise on being informed, a half-hour before the caucus met, that
altho' more than 24 hours had intervened, you had not even communicated
with several of your personal friends in the Senate, had not been able
to see your own partner and cousin, who is a member of your family,
failed to keep yr. appointments, was found with difficulty, and was
not prepared when found to make any definite arrangement or even
proposition. Attended as this failure on your part was by the forcing
thro' the Senate by your friends of the bill you disapproved, and
followed by strong and indignant denunciations the next morning in the
columns of the _Argus_ of several leading Democrats in the Senate, and
warm advocacy of the same bill, I was forced, in the absence of all
explanation, to conclude that if you had not acted in bad faith you
had certainly trifled in a most extraordinary manner with a subject I
considered of great importance.
"Under these circumstances, I claim credit for myself in speaking of
your conduct with great forbearance, and have no recollection of using
the language you attribute to me in your note, tho', as I did not
advert to the distinction (if there be any in substance) between your
making a proposition and inviting one to be made to you, which you
declared beforehand would be acceptable to you, I have doubtless spoken
freely of the part you bore in the transaction as inexplicable and
censurable.
"I shall be happy to hear any explanation you have to make, and glad to
know if I have unintentionally, even in thought, done you injustice."
CERTIFICATE OF THE ELECTION OF MR. TILDEN AND OTHERS TO THE CONVENTION
ORDERED TO REVISE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN 1846
"The Board of County Canvassers of the City and County of New York,
having canvassed and estimated the votes given in the several election
districts of said city and county at a general election held the
14th day of April, 1846, do hereby certify, determine, and declare
that Charles O'Connor, Henry Nicoll, _Samuel J. Tilden_, Benjamin F.
Cornell, Campbell P. White, Alexander F. Vache, Lorenzo B. Shepard,
John A. Kennedy, John L. Stephens, Robert H. Morris, William S. Conely,
David R. Floyd Jones, Solomon Townsend, John H. Hunt, Stephen Allen,
and George S. Mann, by the greatest number of votes, were duly elected
'Delegates to meet in convention for the purpose of considering the
Constitution of this State, and to make such alterations in the same
as the rights of the people demand and as they may deem proper, under
an act of the Legislature of the State of New York, entitled, "An act
recommending a convention of the people of this State." Passed May 13,
1845.'
"Dated May 11, 1846.
"EGBERT BENSON,
"_Chairman_.
"JAMES CONNER,
"_County Clerk, Secretary_."