5

New York Decem. 14 1870

My dear Sir,

I telegraphed you this Am
that Beamans letter was written at
our suggestion, & if all was off in other
matter such other arrangements might
be made as would be satisfactory.

Mr. Davis goes over to night & will
see you in the morning. I
have, since I saw you, fallen in
with some Washington people &
have sounded them as to the feeling
there upon the passage of such a
bill as we want; & the opinion they
give is altogether favorable to its going
through without any difficulty
whatever tho' some doubt is expressed
about the "Shenandoah" -
being included, & it may, & will no
doubt require some influence to attain that result. I
am satisfied now that 25%
cannot be get out of the New
Bedford claims, &, in fact, since
I have [?ted] myself I am candid
in saying that the service to be
rendered does not justify any
such charge & I do not think that
either Mr. Davis Mr. Mandell or myself
would be justified in paying any such
Cou[nt?] upon the claims under our
control. In my letter of yesterday