argument, as splendid in
diction, as any of the utterances of the following forty-five years,
when the thirteenth amendment closed the controversy for all
time."[452]

[Footnote 452: H.B. Stanton, _Random Recollections_, p. 164. John W.
Taylor served twenty consecutive years in Congress--a longer
continuous service than any New York successor. Taylor also bears the
proud distinction of being the only speaker from New York. Twice he
was honoured as the successor of Henry Clay. He died at the home of
his daughter in Cleveland, Ohio, in September, 1854, at the age of
seventy, leaving a place in history strongly marked.]

CHAPTER XVI

THE FORMATION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

1854-5

The winter of 1855 became a turning-point in the career of William H.
Seward. The voice of the anti-slavery Whigs proclaimed him the only
man fitted by position, ability, and character to succeed himself in
the United States Senate. To them he possessed all the necessary
qualities for leadership. In his hands they believed the banner of
opposition to the extension of slavery would be kept at the front and
every other cause subordinated to it. This feeling was generously
shared by the press of New York. "The repeal of the Missouri
Compromise," said Henry J. Raymond in the _Times_, "has developed a
popular sentiment in the North which will probably elect Governor
Seward to the Presidency in 1856 by the largest vote from the free
States ever cast for any candidate."[453] Even the Democratic _Evening
Post_ admitted that "Seward is in the ascendancy in this State."[454]

[Footnote 453: New York _Times_, June 1, 1854.]

[Footnote 454: New York _Evening Post_, May 23, 1854.]

The Legislature was overwhelmingly Whig. Nearly three-fourths of the
Assembly and two-thirds of the Senate had been elected as Whigs.
Although Seward did not make a speech or appear publicly in the
campaign of 1854, he had been active in seeing that members were
chosen who would vote for him. But, notwithstanding the Whigs
controlled the Legislature, many of them belonged to the
Know-Nothings, whose noisy opposition soon filled the air with rumours
of their intention to defeat Seward. The secrecy that veiled the
doings of the order now concealed the strength of their numbers; but,
as Seward's course had been sufficient to array its entire membership
against him, there was little doubt of the attitude of all its
representatives. Though he had not violently denounce