"NEW YORK, _Dec. 12, 1871_.
"DEAR TILDEN,--As my journey to Washington is postponed indefinitely,
I shall be at home this evening, which has been set apart for an
_interview_ with the reporter of the _Times_ on the subject of the
charter. I shall want to use, on the occasion, the papers I let you
have on Sunday. If you will send them to me by the bearer I will return
them to you to-morrow.
"Subsequent reflection has rather convinced me that I ought not to have
declined answering your question as to what I received for my work on
the charter.
"I declined as I did simply because I do so in all my professional
business. Such is my _general_ practice, but there are exceptions, and
I see no good reason why this should not be one of them.
"What I received was $10,000.
"Yours, &c.,
"J. W. EDMONDS."