(SUBSTANCE OF A CONVERSATION WITH SENATOR CONKLING)
"Utica, Sunday, Nov. 19, 1876.
"President Tilden.
"My dear Sir,—I have had an hour's talk to-day with Senator Conkling, and I am happy to inform you he is sound as a bullet all through. He says of course he is desirous his party should succeed, but if it is expected he will consent to succeed by fraud they are mistaken. He is sound in all the questions that will arise, and means to act with his friends.
"He is devoting himself to the law, and means to act with our friends in the Senate.
"He asked me what position our people meant to assume, and whether they meant to act upon the good-boy principle of submission, or whether we mean to have it understood that Tilden has been elected and by the Eternal he shall be inaugurated? Thinks the latter course advisable; the submission policy he don't much believe in.
"You may rely entirely upon his hearty co-operation. I hope to see you soon, but I fear shall not be able to come down before the 1st of December.
"I don't know whether the Senator will unbosom himself to Kearner, but I know he is all right, and I am correspondingly hopeful and happy as ever.
"Yours truly,
"J. T. Spriggs."