the people. A majority of the voters at the preceding election
undoubtedly favoured such an adjustment. The votes cast for Douglas,
Bell, and Breckenridge in the free States, with one-fourth of those
cast for Lincoln, and one-fourth for Breckenridge in the slave States,
making 2,848,792 out of a total of 4,662,170, said a writer in
_Appleton's Cyclopaedia_, "were overwhelmingly in favour of
conciliation, forbearance, and compromise."[635] Rhodes, the
historian, approving this estimate, expresses the belief that the
Crittenden compromise, if submitted to the people, would have
commanded such a vote.[636]

[Footnote 634: Morgan Dix, _Memoirs of John A. Dix_, Vol. 1, p. 338.]

[Footnote 635: _Appleton's Cyclopaedia_, 1861, p. 700.]

[Footnote 636: James F. Rhodes, _History of the United States_, Vol.
3, p. 261, _note_.]

In the closing months of 1860, and the opening months of 1861, this
belief dominated the Democratic party as well as a large number of
conservative Republicans; but, as the winter passed without
substantial progress toward an effective compromise, the cloud of
trouble assumed larger proportions and an alarmist spirit spread
abroad. After Major Anderson, on the night of December 27, had
transferred his command from its exposed position at Fort Moultrie to
the stronger one at Fort Sumter, it was not uncommon to hear upon the
streets disloyal sentiments blended with those of willing sacrifice
to maintain the Union. This condition was accentuated by the action of
the Legislature, which convened on January 2, 1861, with twenty-three
Republicans and nine Democrats in the Senate, and ninety-three
Republicans and thirty-five Democrats in the House. In his message,
Governor Morgan urged moderation and conciliation. "Let New York," he
said, "set an example; let her oppose no barrier, but let her
representatives in Congress give ready support to any just and
honourable sentiment; let her stand in hostility to none, but extend
the hand of friendship to all, cordially uniting with other members of
the Confederacy in proclaiming and enforcing a determination that the
Constitution shall be honoured and the Union of the States be
preserved."

On January 7, five days after this dignified and conservative appeal,
Fernando Wood, imitating the example of South Carolina, advocated the
secession of the city from the State. "Why should not New York City,"
said the Mayor, as if playing the part of a satirist, "instead of
s