"Now, I am full of my own business, but this is part of my business, and so long as I have anything to do with it shall and does receive all the 'meditation' that I can conceive may be of advantage to it.
"I have seen Scudder, have also arranged to carefully re-examine the figures in respect to the men to whom you allude.
"Scudder is to communicate with his former correspondent and see him, and do what can be done to bring us together.
"I can get an attachment against the men to whom you refer on evidence we now have, and with the testimony of either of the men whom we propose to get can recover; perhaps without such testimony, but I have not sufficiently examined the figures to say so yet.
"I saw Mr. O'Conor yesterday. He is anxious that nothing be done until the last remedy bill be passed.
"Mr. Pelton, when writing me, said that copies of the two bills already passed—attachment and criminal—would be sent to me. They have not come.
"Will you be kind enough to ask him to send them to me?
"Now, as to Connolly:
"He wants to settle civil claims only—not criminal. He offers $400th. Will give, I think, $500th. It won't let him come home, for the indictments still stand. I think Mr. O'Conor is not in favor of it. I am, i. e., of this particular settlement as to this man. I think that it is all we could get by litigation. His property has undoubtedly shrunk, and doubtless he has been blackmailed to a large extent. I can have the whole matter closed and money paid in thirty days. What do you think of it?
"I think if the general voice shd. be in favor of a settlement Mr. O'Conor would acquiesce; but I merely so infer.