"FORT WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, _April 6th, 1875_.
"DEAR SIR,--Going on steadily with the _proved_ narrative. It will soon
be in a perfect condition. The revelations are most satisfactorily
exact. The 'long train of abuses' will have an astounding look.
"You are up to your eyes in a confusing multitude of affairs, and may
not have as clear a vision as I fancy I have concerning affairs here.
"There can be no doubt that, as usual in such alterations, there is a
class who counted on coming into the succession and enjoying Tweed's
privileges. In his day the so-called Democratic wire-pullers and the
so-called Republican wire-pullers understood each other and divided the
spoils.
"This was a still existing policy at the last city election. Wales,
the Republican candidate for Mayor, was nominated in the interest
of the regular Democratic nominee, and ran to secure the defeat of
Ottendorfer, who is an independent man, probably a very honest man and,
for aught I know or suspect, would have as truly supported integrity
and justice in government as anybody else. Accordingly, Wales, as
appeared by the papers, was a champion of Bill Costigan.
"The hungry are fierce, and hardly know what to do with themselves or
where to turn. They don't get a chance to turn Green out, and you keep
the Corporation Counsel on his good behavior.
"It seems to me you must stick just as you are. I have not too much
confidence in the most recently elected Democratic judges. I am sure
that if the Mayor gets the making of a corporation counsel that office
will become as bad as it ever was. Now the incumbent stands in dread,
and behaves un-obstructively. I write to advise that you beware how you
alter this condition of things.
"You have gone so deeply into the hunt after scoundrelism that I do not
see how you could repent, even if you wished to, and I presume you do
not.
"One thing more. Special bills, etc., are being prepared and passed,
too, in aid of jobs. If such things are to be helped or permitted to
run through without opposition it surely will be idle to waste breath
in pursuing Tweed.
"The public will sustain you in vetoing _all_ these things. See the
marked part of my opinion on constitutional amendments.
"Yours truly,
"CHAS. O'CONOR."