"9 LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK, _Feb. 23rd, 1875_.
"MY DEAR GOVERNOR,--You will be glad to learn that I am getting
stronger, and the doctor recommends me to go to Washington for a few
days.
"You may be sure that I have followed the Wickham controversy with
great interest, and was delighted at the perfect ease with which you
applied an extinguisher to his farthing candle.
"If your brain keeps on softening for a few months longer, I think you
will arrive at a development which will leave no doubt in the public
mind as to your entire fitness for a much higher position than you now
fill.
"Power told me yesterday that Kelly would be in Albany this week;
let me urge that you have the frankest of free talks with him. I am
satisfied that he will meet your views on every point except the
retention of Green. Now you cannot afford to let Green be slaughtered,
but Green can very well afford, in view of the momentous consequences
to you involved in a disruption of the party machinery here, to solve
the difficulty by placing his resignation in your hands, to be used
only when a successor satisfactory to you and to Kelly can be agreed
upon. I had a long talk with Green on Sunday night. He believes his
position to be impregnable, and he is not at all conscious of the
intense disgust with which he is regarded by the Tammany organization.
He even thinks that the general committee might be got to indorse him.
I told him very frankly that in my judgment it would be destruction
to those who are really his friends to make any such issue in the
committee, and I tell you that it is no use to try it. Your position
and character will be with me the first consideration, and after that
it seems to me that Kelly's position should be made as easy for him as
the circumstances will admit. I think he understands Wickham now, and
you and he ought never to be lacking in a perfect understanding with
each other. I have not seen Kelly, as I would have been glad to do,
but you are at perfect liberty to show him this letter if you choose,
as there is nothing in my mind that I would not be willing to say to
him personally on these topics, if he were to think it worth while to
consult with me.
"Mr. Ruggles has been to see me with regard to the Davis canal bill,
which he thinks is a blunder; he is quite clear, and I agree with
him, that the canal can only be properly administered by a general
superintendent, nominated by the Governor, and approved by the Senate.
The Governor should have the power to suspend or remove the general
superintendent for cause. In this way the Governor will have the direct
control of the canal, and the canal commissioners be relegated to their
proper duties of auditing the expenditures, and seeing that the general
superintendent does his duty.
"It seems to me that the position in which Davis has placed himself
in regard to the Tammany delegation affords an unusually favorable
opportunity for getting this legislation. It might be brought in as a
counter-proposition to Davis's bill. If you had a proper understanding
with Davis in advance, and he would agree to make not more than a
nominal opposition to the substitute, the canals could thus be rescued
from the corrupt ring which has plundered the revenues for so many
years. If your administration could accomplish any such result it would
be a great triumph, as well as a priceless benefaction to the people of
this State.
"Faithfully yours,
"ABRAM S. HEWITT."
"_Feb'y 23, 1875_,
"_Hon. Samuel J. Tilden_,
"_Albany, N. Y._"