"DEAR UNCLE SAMUEL,--Yours of yesterday received this morning. In reply, would say that I am sorry you had gained the impression that I was intending to seek a position on the State ticket this fall, for such a thing was far from any intention of mine. When this matter was first brought to my notice, by an article which appeared in the N. Y. _Graphic_, some time since, I immediately requested a friend of mine, who is connected with that paper, not to refer to the matter again, as I was not a candidate, and would not accept a place upon the State ticket. This same answer I have always given whether spoken to upon the subject, and had so thoroughly dismissed it from my mind that it did not occur to me to speak of it when I saw you two weeks ago. I have always made our business here of first importance and politics secondary, working at the latter when time would permit. I appreciate only too fully the position in which one is placed who has only a political life before him with all its uncertainties to desire such a one, having seen so many in this position. "Had I thought of such a step I certainly should not for one moment have entertained it until I had spoken to you upon the subject, for I have appreciated and can easily understand the complications which would arise. Will come up to Greystone the first opportunity I have, and explain more fully than I can write. With many kind regards, I remain, Yours very truly, "S. J. TILDEN, JR." NOTES ON THE CANAL [_Written by Mr. Tilden on September 4-5, 1885, in Answer to Queries on the Subject by Mr. Dana._] "_Q. 1._ Would not the expense of deepening the canal, so as to add two feet to the depth of water, be very great? I understand that now, for a great part of its course, the bottom of the canal is composed, for about a foot depth, of clay and hydraulic cement packed closely, so as to prevent leakage; and would not the expense of taking this up and replacing it, after the bottom was dug up, be more serious than any calculation has yet allowed? "_A._ The idea of increasing the depth of the canal two feet is a gross exaggeration of what is possible or proper to do. "To build up the banks two feet would necessitate building up the locks. To excavate the bottom two feet would be impracticable. "At page 23 of my Message for 1873 it was stated: 'The waterway was practically never excavated in every part to its proper dimensions. Time, the action of the elements, and neglect of administration all tend to fill it by deposits.' There is no doubt that the sides of the waterway have been changed, and the slope filled in with silt, narrowing the bottom of the canal, so that it is only in the middle that the proper depth is approached, and inconvenience is felt in one boat passing another.