"18 WALL ST., _Mar. 9th, 1874_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--I have yours of 7th, in all of which I acquiesce except
the following sentence: 'You are full of your own business, and so are
not able to meditate beforehand what you should do.'
"Now, I am full of my own business, but this is part of my business,
and so long as I have anything to do with it shall and does receive all
the '_meditation_' that I can conceive may be of advantage to it.
"I have seen Scudder, have also arranged to carefully re-examine the
figures in respect to the men to whom you allude.
"Scudder is to communicate with his former correspondent and see him,
and do what can be done to bring us together.
"I can get an attachment against the men to whom you refer on evidence
we now have, and with the testimony of either of the men whom we
propose to get can recover; perhaps without such testimony, but I have
not sufficiently examined the figures to say so yet.
"I saw Mr. O'Conor yesterday. He is anxious that nothing be done until
the last remedy bill be passed.
"Mr. Pelton, when writing me, said that copies of the two bills already
passed--attachment and criminal--would be sent to me. They have not
come.
"Will you be kind enough to ask him to send them to me?
"Now, as to Connolly:
"He wants to settle _civil claims only_--not criminal. He offers
$400th. Will give, I think, $500th. It won't let him come home, for the
indictments still stand. I think Mr. O'Conor is not in favor of it. _I
am_, _i. e._, of this particular settlement as to this man. I think
that it is all we could get by litigation. His property has undoubtedly
shrunk, and doubtless he has been blackmailed to a large extent. I can
have the whole matter closed and money paid in thirty days. What do you
think of it?
"I think if the general voice shd. be in favor of a settlement Mr.
O'Conor would acquiesce; but I merely so infer.
"As to the mountain, etc.: Why, Mahomet will go soon.
"Yours Truly,
"WHEELER H. PECKHAM."
"_Hon. S. J. Tilden._"
ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN 1876 (REPORT OF A CONVERSATION WITH
GOV. TILDEN IN 1874)
"Your correspondent not having the liberty of an interview,
nevertheless had the privilege of a conversation, not at all private,
worthy of public consideration.
"His Excellency was reminded that he could not be an unobservant
spectator of the circumstance that the leaders of both political
parties are discussing Presidential questions and canvassing the
claims of opposed candidates in both. He promptly responded that that
concerned him the least whilst he had serious duties to perform. The
Presidency, he said, is not strictly before the people at all in this
canvass. They are to elect legislators who should improve the laws,
and executive State officers to administer the same. A constitutional
amendment contemplates cutting off extra compensations to contractors,
but it does not prohibit the Legislature from charging work in the
interest 'of the contractor,' besides authorizing 'the Canal Board' to
cancel such (contractor's) contract. This shows the vital importance
of electing a sound Legislature and a safe Canal Board. The practice
has been too much to pass laws in the interest of the sinister, the
evil, and the profligate classes; and the same have been administered
accordingly, until the rights and interests of the honest and
industrial classes have been greatly ignored and the common prosperity
well-nigh paralyzed. The State has just now a far deeper interest in
home government than in the national concerns. We need not overlook the
frauds and extravagances of the Washington government, but we shall
find on hand full enough to do if we arrest and redress the abuses
that pervade our cities, towns, and counties, and particularly the
State, for this year, leaving the selection of members of Congress and
Presidential electors to their proper time another year.
"His Excellency was further reminded that he could not overlook the
fact that the prominence, not to say popularity, of his administration
had led to the consideration of his name in connection with the next
Presidency, and that some rivalry consequent upon the agitation of
'home questions' had led to the favoring of candidates beyond the
limits of our own State.
"His Excellency promptly (and rather nervously) responded that public
opinion will be very apt to take care of such interests and issues.
He had seen enough to satisfy him that he who escapes the cares and
responsibilities of public life is far happier than he who enjoys its
supposed honors and emoluments. He could most heartily and trustfully
support the superior claims (as they are miscalled) of New York's
favorite son and foremost statesman.
"Of course, this was understood to refer to Governor Seymour. So his
Excellency was reminded that it was objected that he had had his
opportunity, and also that our State has had both of the last two
chances for the Presidency.
"'Oh, that is a superficial, if not sinister, view of the case,'
promptly rejoined my interlocutor. 'The public no longer cares what
State or section candidates come from. They may be taken from one or
the other, or both from either, and the people will not care, so long
as the men and measures are acceptable. Gov. Seymour was nominated
eight years ago against his wishes and his friends', with the tacit if
not expressed understanding that he and they were making a sacrifice at
the time to a political exigency. The same, pretty much, may be said
in the case of the lamented Greeley. New York has no local claims (any
more than the "mother of Presidents" of old had); neither has she any
local disabilities. But there is no use of discussing these matters,
as he said before. We have more appropriate and pressing work in hand.
When that is done it will be time enough to bother our heads about
other political concerns.'
"His Excellency was badgered a little on the reports of his alleged ill
health, but he was disposed to treat it as 'an invention of the enemy.'
Yet he expressed jocosely the hope that his own constitution might soon
experience a respite from his sedentary confinement, as well as the bad
habits of public life."