Letters and Literary Memorials of Samuel J. Tilden, v. 1Tilden, Samuel J. (Samuel Jones)
History
Letters and Literary Memorials of Samuel J. Tilden, v. 1
Tilden, Samuel J. (Samuel Jones)
Tilden, Samuel J. (Samuel Jones), 1814-1886
LEWIS H. SANDFORD,
JOHN R. LIVINGSTON, JR.,
C. V. S. KANE,
CHAS. B. MOORE.,
L. ROBINSON,
SAMUEL A. CRAPO,
WILLIAM S. SEARS,
D. D. FIELD,
CHS. G. HAVENS,
JAMES J. ROOSEVELT,
C. MCLEAN,
THEODORE SEDGWICK,
HAWKS & SCOVILLE.
"I cheerfully concur in the foregoing recommendation:
THOS. R. LEE,
P. REYNOLDS,
LATHROP S. EDDY,
WM. MCMURRAY."
The nomination, election, and inauguration of Senator Wright as
Governor of New York State, in 1844, gave Mr. Tilden a greater
influence perhaps than was possessed by any other individual in the
dispensation of the patronage of the Executive at this time. His
friend, John W. Edmonds, in whose office he had studied his profession,
a native of the same county as himself, and a lawyer of considerable
ability, was anxious for the appointment of Surrogate of New York city.
Though he failed in this effort, he subsequently was appointed one
of the Justices of the Supreme Court, largely, not to say entirely,
through Mr. Tilden's influence.
By the spring elections of 1844 both the old parties were thrown into
confusion and driven from the field by the "Native American" party,
so called, which appeared with a suddenness and force of a tropical
cyclone and swept the country.
The friends of Mr. Van Buren in New York naturally looked to Mr. Van
Buren as their candidate for a renomination to the Presidency. He was
defeated, however, in the national convention, and James K. Polk, of
Tennessee, received the nomination. The following letter from Mr.
Tilden to his brother is the only account we have from his pen of his
experiences in that convention to which he was a delegate. Unhappily,
the manuscript is incomplete.
S. J. TILDEN TO HIS BROTHER
"BALTIMORE, _May 27, 1844_.
"MY DEAR BROTHER,--Here we are in a state of extraordinary excitement
and great uncertainty. There is a deep and almost universal
disaffection in the South. Virginia is against us by a large majority,
also North Carolina, Ga., Miss., Ark., La., probably Maryland, Indiana;
New Jersey, Michigan, Alabama, Ill., Conn. doubtful; N. Y., Missouri,
Ohio, N. H., Vermont, R. I. reliable; Penn. instructed and ready to
vote with us on the main question, but liable, some of them, to cheat
on collaterals.
"We have a small fixed majority certain on the first ballotings,
but some of the Penn. delegates and probably some others may be and
probably will be inclined very soon to desert. But the plan of the
disaffected is to require a two-third vote to make a nomination. This,
they think, and probably with correctness, that Mr. V. B. cannot get,
and then they may bargain with those who vote with us but are not
hearty in our cause. Some of the Penn. men who are instructed and are
therefore obliged to vote for V. B. would prefer Buchanan--have been
approached by propositions from the South to bargain with them, with
what effect we cannot know."
SILAS WRIGHT TO S. J. TILDEN
"WASHINGTON, _May 10, 1844_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account