AGREEMENT OF AUGUST BELMONT, SAMUEL J. TILDEN, AUGUSTUS SCHELL, RICHARD SCHELL, GEORGE I. MAGEE, THOMAS C. DURANT, CHARLES O'CONOR, AND C. H. McCORMICK TO SUBSCRIBE $10,000 EACH TOWARDS ELECTION EXPENSES OF CAMPAIGN OF 1868
"We, the undersigned, each for himself, hereby agrees with Augustus Schell, Chairman of the Democratic National Executive Committee, to pay to said Schell each ten thousand dollars in such instalments as he may call, which sums shall be expended in such manner as the national Democratic committee shall determine, to defray the just and lawful expenses of circulating documents and newspapers, perfecting organizations, etc., to promote the election of Seymour and Blair.
"It is understood that if in the judgment of said committee the subscriptions for the purposes of the said election not embraced herein shall render it unnecessary to expend the whole amount hereto subscribed, then any surplus which shall remain shall be refunded to the subscribers in equal proportion.
"New York, Aug. 15, 1868.
"August Belmont,
"S. J. Tilden,
"Augustus Schell,
"Richd. Schell,
"George I. Magee,
"Thos. C. Durant,
"Ch. O'Conor,
"C. H. McCormick."
M. BLAIR TO TILDEN
"Aug. 19, 1868.
"My dear Tilden,—Y'rs of yesterday has come to hand. Mr. Welles is now at the Kittery Yard in person, and will not be here for a week perhaps. He has probably done what Shaw and friends ask. If not, 'twill be too late to act, I fear, on his return. Welles is very earnestly with us now, and I have no doubt will do anything he can. My accounts from the West agree with yours as respects political prospects there. But Able, who is not of a sanguine temperament, writes that our friends are going to carry Missouri by 20,000 majority.
"From Maine, Mr. Clapp, former M. C. from Portland, a brother of Mrs. Woodbury, who is also a cautious man, is very confident of gains in the State.
"If my father can go on to New York I am sure he will do so, to see Bennett. The truth is, however, that Bennett looks to position, and there is no getting him without assurances of it. It was in this way that Lincoln got him. He could have been nominated to Paris undoubtedly if he had not himself declined accepting the mission, because he would have been rejected. Chase got his support, I am sure, by promising him this mission if he was elected. The negotiation with Lincoln was carried on through a fellow of the name of Bartlett, who was the same man who got the Herald for Frémont. I had no part in either negotiation, but I knew of both and sustained Lincoln in keeping his bargain with Bennett. His inclinations are with our side, I am sure, and he told my father and myself he would have supported Frank's nomination earnestly.