"Make my special regards to Mrs. and Miss Church."
S. E. CHURCH TO TILDEN
"Albion, April 20, 1870.
"My dear Sir,—Your kind favor received. I infer that you are opposed to my taking a nomination for chief judge, and it is quite likely you are right about it; but I feel that there has been a great break in my life, and that it may be as well to start on a new track. My reputation is now fair, and on the bench I can keep it so, until I want to use it for my own benefit and that of my friends, and I think I can aid you politically as much as I can to remain as I am. I shall, of course, object to being regarded as 'shelved' by the operation, and yet such may be the result, and some people will doubtless favor my nomination for that reason. They may be awfully mistaken, but this is confidential.
"I shall not dare to go to Rochester next week, lest the excitement might produce a relapse; but you must come here and see me the day before the convention, which you can easily do, and then we can talk the whole thing up—as you say, it cannot be written. Don't fail to come.
"Truly yours,
"S. E. Church."
"Mrs. C. and Nellie send regards."
TILDEN TO JOHN R. REID
"New York, Apl. 21, 1870.