"If you ask me if I think that you could be elected against Grant, I say yes, if the party won't force on you a platform that says too much—(if the devil ever possessed a sensible man, it is in getting up 'platforms'); not more than three or four cardinal points, viz.:
"1. Cheerfully accord freedom to the negro, and equality before the law; but no universal negro suffrage, nor domination of the negro over the white man.
"2. No cavilling about the national debt, however incurred; that is sacred as honor, and must be paid, principal and interest.
"3. No further patching of the Constitution of the country, nor curtailing the independence of the Supreme Court.
"4. The present erroneous expenditures of the genl. government shall be reduced, and taxes equalized and diminished, and tax-gatherers shall no longer be suffered to pry into domestic affairs nor count the spoons.
"If such a platform could be put out and stuck to, not dragged out into side issues, or dead issues, success would be sure; so it appears to me; but if I am only another instance of the side allusion above, it would not be strange; but I would like such a nomination as proposed—there could be none better.
"Y'rs, &c.,
"R. C. Root."
S. J. TILDEN TO R. C. ROOT (PROBABLY)
"New York, Feb. 28th, 1868.
"My dear Sir,—Two successive absences, between which I was in town but one day and passed that ill in bed, have prevented an earlier answer to your letters.