"You must make up your mind to go with that interesting party or to go against it. I am against it; nothing will persuade me to withhold any little power I possess from the anti-swindler-ism party.
"Yours truly,
"Ch. O'Conor."
"His Excellency, Samuel J. Tilden,
"Albany, N. Y."
FRANCIS C. BARLOW TO TILDEN
"Personal.
"New York, 21 Park Row, Feb. 8th, '75.
"Hon. Saml. J. Tilden, Governor, &c.
"My dear Sir,—I am satisfied that the choice of Corporation Counsel, in place of Mr. E. Delafield Smith, lies between Mr. E. R. Robinson and Mr. Wm. C. Whitney. There is no doubt about this.
"I am, furthermore, pretty sure that Mr. Wickham would be glad of an influential pressure which would counterbalance the pressure of Wm. C. Barrett, Thos. Boise, and others in favor of Whitney, and authorize him (the Mayor) to appoint Robinson.
"You know what the influences of Barrett et al. are, and I am sure you would not think them desirable advisers of a corporation counsel, as they certainly would be of Whitney.
"I write to beg you to help, if you can, Robinson. I am sure he is far more in accord with Mr. O'Conor, Peckham, etc., than Whitney would be, though, of course, I am only able to speak for myself.
"I hope earnestly that you will be able to further the cause of public justice, for which you have done so much, by bringing about, so far as the matter comes before you, the appointment of Robinson.