(ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL PLATFORM)
"_Private._
"PARIS, _15 May, 1868_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--Your letters by Mr. Cutting, Dean Richmond's friend,
were duly recd., and I did what I could for him during his brief stay
in Paris.
"Though withdrawn from politics, I have not lost my interest in things
at home, and therefore I write a few lines confidentially.
"I notice a disposition in some quarters--how extensive it is I have
no means of knowing--to confine the approaching contest to a single
issue--constitutional or unconstitutional government. It would be a
fatal error. The contest will be severe; and, if the conservative men
of the country are faultless in their tactics, it will nevertheless
be close. They cannot afford to dispense with the strength they would
derive from opposition to practical abuses, which are apart from
constitutional questions--the financial and commercial mismanagement,
and the reckless expenditure by Congress. To ignore these issues would
be to dishearten all the friends of honest reform in the administration
of the government and make them passive spectators of the contest.
"The power of the old Albany regency consisted in the frankness and
intrepidity with which they met all public questions. The people never
give their confidence to artful dodgers. Nothing will save you but a
bold, manly policy. You ought to take ground in language not to be
misunderstood:
"1. In favor of bringing back the Southern States on the same terms as
the others.
"2. Of maintaining inviolate the public credit.
"3. Of returning as speedily as possible to specie payments, and of
reducing forthwith the paper circulation.
"4. Of repealing, simultaneously with the resumption of specie payment,
the act of Congress making paper a legal-tender.
"5. Of reducing the enormous duties on imports, which are destroying
our commerce, and will ultimately react most injuriously on our
agriculture and manufactures; and
"6. Of reducing the public expenditure by a rigid system of economy and
lightening the burden of taxation.
"Nor will this be sufficient, unless you present to the people, as the
exponents of these principles, men who are known to be their tried
advocates, and who in the late Civil War were active and unqualified
supporters of the government. With every advantage on the other side,
Gen. Grant will be a hard man to beat. It is but a few months since the
Democracy thought seriously of making him their candidate; and there
are multitudes who do not believe, and cannot be made to believe, that
he will favor ultra measures of government, under whatever auspices he
may be elevated to power.
"Having given you all this good advice unasked, it only remains for me
to say that I am glad to hear you are to be a candidate for Governor
next fall, and that I am, as ever,
"Very truly Yours,
"JOHN A. DIX.[46]"
"_Hon. Saml. J. Tilden._
"P. S.--What a folly it was to talk about paying in paper a bonded debt
(5/20) not due for years to come! We should hold our tongues and settle
the question by resuming specie payments."