"ST. JAMES HOTEL, BALTIMORE, _March 5, 1877_.
"MY DEAR MR. TILDEN,--I do not doubt that you are
overwhelmed with letters just now from your many friends; but
I cannot refrain from adding one to the number, to express my
intense disappointment that you are not to-day the '_de facto_,'
as you truly are the '_de jure_' President of our country. I _did_
believe that the justices of the Supreme Court would, in a case of
such vital interest, rise high above all party trammels, carefully
ascertain the facts of the case, administer the law with equity and
consistency, and hold to the doctrine that fraud must vitiate the
acts it was employed to accomplish. I am deeply grieved to find
that these justices can, after all, be mere politicians--no better
than the least patriotic of the tribe. I regret sincerely that your
labor of the last four months has met with such a result, but my
confidence in your patriotism is such that I am very sure that, so
far as personal considerations are concerned, you will feel the
disappointment far less than your friends do for you.
"You will not consider it a liberty if I congratulate you--or rather
the party--upon the dignified and high-toned course you have pursued
in the midst of the difficulties surrounding you.
"I am sure that we agree in the belief that the worst feature of
this memorable business is that open fraud should be triumphant,
and that through such means the control of a corrupt party should
again be fastened upon our country. I do not know that I am capable
of judging dispassionately of the future, but it now appears to me
that that future is black indeed, when another than yourself--the
honestly elected--holds to-day the name and powers of President.
"Under you I thought the future of my country would be bright and
happy: now, I do not care to look beyond the evils of the day--for
they are sufficient.
"With sentiments of the highest respect,
"I am, sincerely, your friend,
"GEO. B. MCCLELLAN."