"New York, Wednesday.
"My dear Tilden,—I understand that you are to be consulted this evg. as to the propriety of assuming control of the Pres't and his adm'n from this time forward on his promise to surrender everything to the Democrats. This plan assumes that Church and yourself will enter heartily into this movement, and that one of you will go into the Cabinet.
"Whoever does so will, in my judgment, run a very serious risk of damaging his own record; the adoption of the plan will hasten rather than retard impeachment; it is not unlikely that the finances may be deranged, which will be chargeable to us, and with Johnson's sins of omission and commission on our backs, we stand a fair chance of defeat, when otherwise we might win in the coming Presidential fight. I see nothing to be gained except a few places, very few, too, with Congress against us, for a few men who want position. I hope, if you agree with me, you will not countenance the plan in any form.
"Y'rs,
S. L. M. Barlow."
"S. J. Tilden, Esq."
FOOTNOTES:
[19] To whom this letter was addressed does not appear, but there is every reason to believe it went also to Mr. Newell, through whom he conducted most of his correspondence with the Pierce administration.
[20] Mr. Campbell was a member of the Catholic communion.
[21] Mr. Grover had acted with the Free-soilers in 1848. He was now suggested by Van Buren's friends to succeed Judge Bronson as Collector of the Port of New York.
[22] John Van Buren.