upporting by her contributions in revenue two-thirds of the expenses
of the United States, become, also, equally independent? As a free
city, with a nominal duty on imports, her local government could be
supported without taxation upon her people.... Thus we could live free
from taxes, and have cheap goods nearly duty free.... When disunion
has become a fixed and certain fact, why may not New York disrupt the
bands which bind her to a venal and corrupt master--to a people and a
party that have plundered her revenues, attempted to ruin her
commerce, taken away the power of self-government, and destroyed the
confederacy of which she was the proud empire city."[637]

[Footnote 637: Proceedings of the Board of Aldermen, LXXXI: p. 25, 26.
New York _Herald_, January 8.]

By order of a sympathising common council, this absurd message,
printed in pamphlet form, was distributed among the people. Few,
however, took it seriously. "Fernando Wood," said the _Tribune_,
"evidently wants to be a traitor; it is lack of courage only that
makes him content with being a blackguard."[638] The next day
Confederate forts fired upon the _Star of the West_ while endeavouring
to convey troops and supplies to Fort Sumter.

[Footnote 638: New York _Tribune_, January 8, 1861.]

The jar of the Mayor's message and the roar of hostile guns were
quickly followed by the passage, through the Legislature, of a
concurrent resolution, tendering the President "whatever aid in men
and money may be required to enable him to enforce the laws and uphold
the authority of the Federal Government; and that, in the defence of
the Union, which has conferred prosperity and happiness upon the
American people, renewing the pledge given and redeemed by our
fathers, we are ready to devote our fortunes, our lives, and our
sacred honour."[639] This resolution undoubtedly expressed the
overwhelming preponderance of sentiment in the State,[640] but its
defiant tone, blended with the foolish words of Wood and the menacing
act of South Carolina, called forth greater efforts for compromise, to
the accomplishment of which a mammoth petition, signed by the leading
business men of the State, was sent to Congress, praying that
"measures, either of direct legislation or of amendment of the
Constitution, may be speedily adopted, which, we are assured, will
restore peace to our agitated country."[641]

[Footnote 639: _Appleton's Cyclopaedia_, 1861, p. 700.]

[Footnote 640: "The w