"NEW YORK, _April 15th, 1870_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--The election of a chief judge and six associate judges
of the Court of Appeals--which will take place on the 17th of May--and
the nomination, at the Democratic State Convention to be held at
Rochester on the 27th of April, of our candidates for the chief judge
and _four_ of the six associate judges, are events of great interest.
"The Democratic party has never hitherto failed to supply in the court
of last resort judges of undoubted moral and official purity and
integrity, who have commanded the confidence and reverence of the whole
people, and who have, by their abilities and professional learning,
illustrated the jurisprudence of our State and country.
"In the present tendency of our times--towards a weakening of the trust
of the people in the judiciary--it is more than ever important that we
hold our standard of character and qualifications _high_.
"A degradation of the administration of justice is the last calamity of
a republic.
"Distrust or doubt in the public mind as to the administration of
justice, even if unfounded, involves half the evils of an actual
degradation.
"At this moment--when we are about to form our highest court, _entirely
anew_, and _for a long period_--it is our duty to give attention to
the subject, to withdraw ourselves for a little time from our private
avocations in order to fulfil our highest obligations as citizens of a
republic.
"_First_, special care ought to be exercised that our most _wise_,
_discreet_, and _disinterested_ men be chosen to, and be induced to
attend, the nominating convention at Rochester on the 27th.
"They should come there to confer for the public good, in a spirit of
_harmony_, conciliation, and surrender of all personal prejudices and
all personal antipathies to the great object of forming _absolutely the
best ticket possible_.
"_Secondly_, assuming--as we may, with confidence--that we shall so
act at the convention as to start our canvass with the favorable
opinion of the public and of the bar of the State, still in a special
election held at an unusual time, and in so short a canvass, prompt
and efficient measures should be taken in each county to organize a
movement to bring out our vote and elect our ticket.
"I ask your co-operation for these objects.
"Very truly yours,
"S. J. TILDEN."