"NEW YORK, _Apl. 22nd, '70_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--I shall regret it extremely if you cannot extricate
yourself from the embarrassments which you mention and I appreciate;
and yet come to the convention, if not as a delegate, at least as an
outsider. Such an occasion will not be likely to occur in your time
or mine, and ought we not seize it to do something of real value to
our four millions of people and to pay the debt which Lord Coke says a
lawyer owes to his profession?
"I have often thought and talked of you as eminently suitable to take
a part in the reconstructed court, but have heard that you were not
ready to sacrifice the large gains of your professional career. You
are over-modest in the suggestion of one or two friends desiring you
to come to a different conclusion; for I have talked with a large
number who looked to you, and whose motives cannot be imputed as mere
friendship, but spring from a sense of public utility, in securing to
the public service your abilities and independent integrity. Indeed,
Grover told me some time ago that he would not be a candidate if you
would be; and I think the same concession would have been generally
made, at least at an earlier day.
"With respect to myself, I cannot reconcile myself to the idea of
being tied up for a series of years. I prefer freedom and a period
of relaxation to any honors which involve permanent and laborious
duties. In December, and repeatedly since, the suggestion from Albany
has been made to me that I might have a general support from that and
this part of the State for chief, in which those not supposed to be
the most friendly would concur, and a considerable number of similar
tenders have come to me from other quarters; but to all, by letter
and verbally, and among others to Cassidy, each, and Allen--and to
Comstock, who is an affirmatively [_sic_] candidate, to Kernan and
O'Conor--I have stated my purpose, and I have no disposition to change
it. It is not that I undervalue these great trusts, but I am content
that they go to those to whose more robust natures and physical vigor
the same considerations which influence me are not applicable, and
to those in whose peculiar condition they are an object of laudable
ambition. If I can help to get a good selection, and then to elect the
ticket, I shall consider myself as concentrating in a few days all the
public service I could perform in the whole 14 years; and so having
completely acquitted myself to my day and generation, become entitled
to a play spell.
"Now, my dear sir, it is in just this matter that I regret to lose your
co-operation. _You_, if present as a delegate or as an outsider, could
help largely in the selection of members from all parts of the state.
For this city--if the bar were to control as it now stands--they would
unite on Rappallo, but whether he can get any political support or not
remains to be seen. He has been one of Vanderbilt's counsel, but I have
often put him with you when I have said that, with the best quality of
men, that consideration could be wholly disregarded.
"Can you extricate yourself from the embarrassments to which you
allude--or be neutral on that case--and come and help as to others?
"Remember that for your time as well as mine this occasion is not
likely to recur.
"I sat down to say this, and must beg you to excuse me for the long
letter I have poured out upon you.
"Very Truly,
"Yours, &c.,
"S. J. TILDEN."
"I have omitted to speak of Church. If he becomes a candidate, as
is probable, though not decided, he will be a strong one before the
convention."