dominant party which now possessed three-quarters of the Legislature. It had been necessary to the system that the capitol should be surrounded by an atmosphere of corruption. The ambition of some had been tempted; the interests of more had been addressed by making legislative business profitable, and the golden showers had sprinkled benefits in every direction. Some, even, who would not take an actual part in the saturnalia were content to be silent spectators or consenting witnesses. I never for a moment supposed that the knife and the cautery would be agreeable remedies, or that the silent partners of prosperous criminals would fall in love with those whose duty it is to detect and punish. I knew, therefore, that obstructions, under every pretext, were to be met at every step and to be overcome. Let us thankfully accept what has been accomplished; and let us here to-night renew our faith that if the bar of this city and State will be united and persistent, every judicial reform in respect to men and in respect to systems will be at last successfully achieved." TILDEN TO EUGENE CASSERLY "NEW YORK, _July 3rd, 1872_. "MY DEAR SIR,--I _did_ intend sooner to acknowledge your letter and make answer generally to it, tho I have foreseen that it is a case in which, as Gov. Seymour says, 'letters answer themselves,' and I should only pay my respects to you. "The Cincinnati movement has been so early and long encouraged by you and by me and by many who thought with us, that it grew to have an impetus and volume which were important and not easily turned aside from the channel it made for itself. Our people, in being educated to favor it, had become accustomed to count on it, and at last became dependent upon it. I never saw how its acts were capable of readjustment, or how the question now before us would be other than the simple issue between Grant and Greeley. On this I concur with the instinctive sense of our people that a change is necessary in the Federal administration. It is rarely, if ever, possible for a party in office to reform itself by the internal force of its best elements. We must have a better state of things in national, State, and municipal government, and a higher standard in the public mind by which official men will be tried and to which they will refer in their silent meditations and in their actions, if we would preserve anything of value in our political system. But I am getting beyond the limits of my time. "In haste. "Truly your friend, "S. J. TILDEN." A. G. THURMAN TO TILDEN "_Private._ "UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMBER, WASHINGTON, _Aug. 20, 1872_.