"But I must stop. This is the first private letter I have written about the election, and it will probably be the last, and nothing but my very great respect for yourself and your race, and my desire to preserve their Democratic consistency, could have induced me to write this. If it gets into the newspapers I would leave no stone unturned to have you punished. "Upon the subject of your last inquiry, I do not possess definite knowledge. I believe no final resolution has yet been come to. But I can tell you nothing encouraging. If ancient Federalism gain its long-lost ascendancy in that quarter, as it is so apt to do one time or another, I should give up judging of character. "Remember me very kindly to your mother, sister and brother, and believe me, "Very truly, "Your friend, "M. VAN BUREN." "_Moses Tilden, Esq._" W. L. MARCY TO TILDEN "_Confidential._ "WASHINGTON, _8th Oct._ (_1857_). "DR. SIR,--- The course _by letter_ having been taken, an instant removal cannot be effected. I have pointed out the error, but there is now no help for it. Removal is the object aimed at and intended to be reached circuitously. After a long correspondence the _thunder_ will be used, and it will be said it is used because worsted in the argument. "I believe most of the Cabinet were for bold action. I have pointed out very clearly the _equivocal_ position in which the administration now stands and the disrepute into which it is fast falling, and have showed the only remedy--_decisive action_. The Prest. sees this _now_ as plainly as anybody, and is willing to apply the remedy. I have endeavored to convince him that he is missing the very best occasion for using it. "Some impression has been made on the mind of the Prest. as to Grover. It is said that he was opposed to, and did vote for, the resolutions at Syracuse. I hope there is no truth in this allegation, for if there is it weakens our position very much. A _bolt_ from a Free-soiler will be easily excused. It will be awkward to punish men for not voting for a ticket--regular though it be--if it is tainted with Free-soilism. The bolters are laboring hard on that point. Let me know if there really is anything wrong in this matter. "Yours truly, "W. L. MARCY." S. J. TILDEN TO MESSRS. KNOX & MORGAN "GENTLEMEN,--If your note means that your clients withdraw from the proposition to allow us 1000 tons of rails, besides the 2470 bars, you already know what my answer must be. Every negotiation has contemplated the yielding of that amt. for the purpose of finishing the road to Oskosh. Your clients must think I am disposed to trifle or be trifled with if they suppose the way to agree is to recede from all that is most essential in their own proposition and in the basis of every negotiation.