"_14 Augt., '67._
"HON. SAMUEL J. TILDEN.
"DEAR TILDEN,--Your long absence gives anxiety to your friends here.
We miss you in council and on the floor. You must come up soon; for we
will have to meet the financial question, and want you. I would have
written you before, but have been laid up by the heels myself for a
fortnight. Indeed, I would have gone down to New York to see you if I
had been able. I would have asked leave of absence, but each day you
were expected to be on hand, and I am opposed to placing on record the
fact that you were ever ill. A majority of the convention has been on
the sick list. Take 160 middle-aged men, and you will have a pretty
large show of invalids in midsummer, when all classes are accustomed to
vacation.
"You have lost nothing thus far. We have lost your speech on
naturalization, etc. It must come in elsewhere. Write me, and tell me
what I can do to aid you, and when you expect to be on board.
"Yours truly,
"WILLIAM CASSIDY."