CHARLES O'CONOR TO TILDEN
"Fort Washington, Saturday Night, April 10, 1875.
"Dear Governor,—Mr. McLean has just been here, and from him I gather that you are anxious for speed, and especially in re Sweeney.
"The more haste the less speed is often a true phrase. Everything necessary and within the limits of our power was done at once to prevent Tweed's escape on a discharge likely to be awarded by his friends of the Refugium Pec. Other proceedings, it seemed to me, should be cautiously and deliberately initiated. I could not help seeing the judiciary's headway against us, and that the Scovil remedies bill, wounded and paralyzed in its birth, limps sadly. So in whatever I do I feel the necessity of caution.
"I have requested Peckham and his allies to pick up the outside biographical facts concerning Sweeney and his tribe. How and when they went off, where they are, etc., etc. Whilst this is progressing I stay home and pump.
"The man is very intelligent; taught by his sufferings, he is perfectly biddable and bent upon giving entire satisfaction. But men of his grade are bad at delivery, and need a midwife who has much industry and inexhaustible patience. He is in low health, constantly taking medicine, and it was not until Friday afternoon late that I got possession of him. The information comes forth very slowly, but I think in the most precise form. I got everything in the most painfully minute details; but it will not be painful reading. On the contrary, I think it will be as amusing as instructive. I throw it all into narrative form. It will read like a novel; and although it is bad policy in general to show one's hand, I am under the impression that when I get through with him it would be a good operation to publish his narrative.
"Sweeney is cunning in the extreme, and no doubt had the concealment of his tracks in view from the beginning. But it will surprise me if he can escape. I shall try to put things in such a shape that we can drop suddenly upon whatever may be here. I am told that he designed coming back to give his skilled talent to the task of defence. Between him and D. D. F. and the Refugium Pec. it might seem that a hopeful fight could be maintained for a little while. But there can be only one end.
"I think we will want an agent in Paris. I know one, Henry Harrisse, a lawyer there, who formerly perched in this city. Though a Frenchman by birth, he is perfectly conversant with our language, our people, and our affairs. I feel sure that he is honest and trustworthy. Had I not best write to him at once? The Sweeney tribe will probably have to be pursued to Europe. Tom Fields is there, and probably other subjects of discipline are or will be. Had I not best write to Harrisse at once and retain him?
"You must be patient, no time is being wasted.
"Yours truly,
"Charles O'Conor."