M. VAN BUREN TO S. J. TILDEN
"Lindenwald, October 24, '42.
"My dear Sir,—As you forgot my former commission, I trouble you by way of revenge with one something like it. I owe the clever editor[3] of the Spirit of the Times the amount of the within check, which I wish to have paid to him, and his paper discontinued. As this, that is, the discontinuance, is at best an ungracious act, I wish to have it performed in the most gracious way, and therefore commit the matter to your hands. I am, doubtless to my shame, not much of a sportsman. I have not, therefore, read his paper as attentively as others, but I have seen enough of it to impress me most favorably, not only in respect to the talents, but the just and honorable bearing of the editor. It would, therefore, afford me pleasure to continue the Times, if the number of political papers which I feel myself bound to take did not render my expenses in that line too heavy for a farmer's income. If there is an objection to discontinuing until the end of the year I will, of course, take it till then.
"Excuse this trouble, and believe me to be
"Very sincerely, your friend,
"M. Van Buren."