_"Private and confidential._
"WASHINGTON CITY, _Feb'y 1st, 1885_.
"MY DEAR MR. TILDEN,--On the day after my return to New
York from Greystone, I had a conversation with Mr. Jones as to the
fusing of himself and his political associates, in regard to the
appointment of Mr. Manning as Secretary of the Treasury.
"Mr. Jones spoke, very decidedly, for himself and Mr. Horace White,
in favor of the appointment, and was of opinion that it would meet
the approval of all the leading independents, especially in view of
the fact that such an appointment was, probably, the only means by
which the danger--as he characterized it--of Mr. Whitney's accession
to that office could be avoided. He represented that he and his
friends were opposed to the appointment of the last-named gentleman
to any place in Cleveland's cabinet.
"He requested me to say to you that, in his interview with Mr.
Cleveland on Sunday last, he stated to him that, but for your
course, in reference to him, he certainly would never have been
nominated--and that he impressed upon him the extent of his
obligations to you.
"In all that he said--as far as I am informed--on this subject he
was right, and would have been right had he gone further and given
the President-elect a broader view of the situation.
"_But for you_, and the wonderful power and wisdom with which you
conducted the Democratic party up to and through the campaign of
'76, the rule of the Republican party would have remained unbroken
for another quarter of a century.
"You _regained_, _preserved_, and have _transmitted_ a political
estate to Mr. Cleveland, and from what I know of his intellectual
and moral character, cannot believe that he will fail to appreciate
this condition and history. I cannot believe that he will--in the
great emergency which is upon him--fail to avail himself of your
wise counsel and advice; or that he will, in looking back upon the
events of '76 and those which followed, allow those of your friends
who were with you in your triumph, and then led the forlorn hope in
the desperate fight of that hour of darkness and treachery, to be
pushed aside now by the unscarred sycophants around him.
"The impression seems to prevail here that, since the election of
Evarts, it would be very unwise to withdraw either Bayard or Garland
from the Senate.
"We will, certainly, be overmatched in debate in that body, whether
the gentlemen referred to remain or not.
"Believe me, my dear Mr. Tilden, with great respect, always
Sincerely yours,
"R. T. MERRICK."