TILDEN—CIRCULAR OF THE STATE COMMITTEE
"New York, April 15th, 1870.
"My dear Sir,—The election of a chief judge and six associate judges of the Court of Appeals—which will take place on the 17th of May—and the nomination, at the Democratic State Convention to be held at Rochester on the 27th of April, of our candidates for the chief judge and four of the six associate judges, are events of great interest.
"The Democratic party has never hitherto failed to supply in the court of last resort judges of undoubted moral and official purity and integrity, who have commanded the confidence and reverence of the whole people, and who have, by their abilities and professional learning, illustrated the jurisprudence of our State and country.
"In the present tendency of our times—towards a weakening of the trust of the people in the judiciary—it is more than ever important that we hold our standard of character and qualifications high.
"A degradation of the administration of justice is the last calamity of a republic.
"Distrust or doubt in the public mind as to the administration of justice, even if unfounded, involves half the evils of an actual degradation.
"At this moment—when we are about to form our highest court, entirely anew, and for a long period—it is our duty to give attention to the subject, to withdraw ourselves for a little time from our private avocations in order to fulfil our highest obligations as citizens of a republic.
"First, special care ought to be exercised that our most wise, discreet, and disinterested men be chosen to, and be induced to attend, the nominating convention at Rochester on the 27th.
"They should come there to confer for the public good, in a spirit of harmony, conciliation, and surrender of all personal prejudices and all personal antipathies to the great object of forming absolutely the best ticket possible.
"Secondly, assuming—as we may, with confidence—that we shall so act at the convention as to start our canvass with the favorable opinion of the public and of the bar of the State, still in a special election held at an unusual time, and in so short a canvass, prompt and efficient measures should be taken in each county to organize a movement to bring out our vote and elect our ticket.
"I ask your co-operation for these objects.
"Very truly yours,
"S. J. Tilden."