Onmylayingthematterbeforehim，hesaid，``Acceptbyallmeans’’;butasIshowedhimthereasonsonbothsides，heatlastreluctantlyagreedwithmethatprobablyitwasbesttosendadeclination。
TheotherpersonconsultedwasMr。JamesBeldenofSyracuse，afterwardamemberofCongressfromtheOnondagadistrict，apoliticianwhohadamostintimateknowledgeofmenandaffairsinourState。Wehadbeenduringalongperiod，politicaladversaries，butIhadcometorespectsundryqualitieshehadmorelatelyexhibited，andthereforewenttohimasapracticalmanandlaidthecasebeforehim。HeexpressedhisgreatsurprisethatIshouldadvisewithhim，myoldpoliticaladversary，buthesaid，``Sinceyoudocome，IwillgiveyoutheverybestadviceIcan。’’
Wethenwentoverthecasetogether，andIfeelsurethatheadvisedmeaswellastheoldestofmyfriendscouldhavedone，andwithashrewdnessandforesightallhisown。
Oneofhisargumentsransomewhatasfollows:``Tobesuccessfulinpoliticsamanmustreallythinkofnothingelse;itmustbehisfirstthoughtinthemorningandhislastatnight;everythingelsemustyieldtoit。Heretoforeyouhavequietlygoneonyourway，soughtnothing，andtakenwhathasbeenfreelytenderedyouintheinterestofthepartyandofthepublic。IknowtheElmiradistrict，andyoucanhavethenominationandtheelectionwithouttrouble;butthequestioniswhetheryoucouldeverbehappyinthesortofworkwhichyoumustdoinordertotakeaproperplaceintheHouseofRepresentatives。
Firstofall，youmustgiveupeverythingelseanddevoteyourselftothatalone;andeventhen，whenyouhavesucceeded，youhaveonlytolookaboutyouandseethemenwhohaveachievedsuccessinthatway，andwho，afterall，havefoundinitnothingbutdisappointment。’’