"1728 Chestnut Street, Phila., 18th Nov., 1876.
"Dear Sir,—May I venture, with great respect, to offer a suggestion which, in this extraordinary crisis, might, it seems to me, if you approve, have a good effect with the other side.
"Would not a public expression of your well-considered views now, in the present state of things, tend to exercise a good influence? Your friends all remember how much good was done, on a different occasion, by that admirable letter to Mr. Hewitt, shortly before the election, about rebel claims, etc.
"Might not the calm, patriotic, and therefore assuaging utterances of your pen now tend to an early settlement upon the basis of right and justice by bringing to bear, with accumulated force, upon the bad men so conspicuous in the disputed States, the just indignation and censure of honest and influential men of their own party, who could not fail to be influenced by such an expression from you, causing those men, at least, to pause in their mad career?
"Might it not, at least, have the effect of gaining time, and smoothing the way for the dispassionate and final and possibly controlling judgment of the better elements of the Republican party?
"Pray pardon the freedom of the suggestion. It is doubtless not new to you or the friends about you, but this may at least serve to show how the suggestion strikes another mind at a distance.
"Suffer me to avail myself of the occasion to congratulate the American people and yourself upon the unmistakable majority of the Electoral College and immense popular majority in your favor.
"I have the honor to be, with the highest respect.
"Your friend & obt. serv't,
"Benjamin Rush."