ARPHAXED LOOMIS TO TILDEN
"Little Falls, August 4, 1878.
"Hon. S. J. Tilden,—I write to express to you the gratification I have felt on reading the exposé in this morning's Argus, by Mr. Marble, of your opinions and course in respect to the memorable arbitration for the Presidency. The common sense of public opinion pointed in the same direction. Moral courage and firmness from the start in the House would most certainly have secured a just result.[22] The perpetrators of the wicked fraud would have cowed. If Grant's military penchant had brought in the use of arms, the rash resort and its consequences would be for the other side to answer for. But timid counsels prevailed. Your friends consented to arbitrate whether your coat belonged to you or to Mr. Hayes—they had, moreover, the weakness to confide in the fair professions of the other side, so far as to give them a majority of the arbitrators.
"I am glad to learn by Mr. Marble's exposé that you gave no assent to the arbitration, but took your stand upon the true legal and constitutional ground. And in this expression I believe a great many of your friends concur. When the decision was made, by a tribunal appointed by law, it was too late to revolt. Concurrence was then the only manly course.
Sincerely yours,
"Arphaxed Loomis."