darkest days of civil war.

But the defection of Greeley, supplemented by William Cullen Bryant
and the union of radical leaders who came from the Democratic party,
finally blossomed into successful rebellion at Chicago. This
encouraged Greeley to lead one at Albany. The Legislature had one
hundred and sixteen Republican members, requiring fifty-nine to
nominate in caucus. Evarts could count on forty-two and Greeley upon
about as many. In his effort to secure the remaining seventeen, Weed
discovered that Ira Harris had a considerable following, who were
indisposed to affiliate with Evarts, while several assemblymen
indicated a preference for other candidates. This precipitated a
battle royal. Greeley did not personally appear in Albany, but he
scorned none of the ordinary crafts of party management. Charles A.
Dana, then of the _Tribune_, represented him, and local leaders from
various parts of the State rallied to his standard and industriously
prosecuted his canvass. Their slogan was "down with the Dictator." It
mattered not that they had approved Weed's management in the past,
their fight now proposed to end the one-man power, and every
place-hunter who could not secure patronage under Lincoln's
administration if Evarts went to the Senate, ranged himself against
Weed. On the side of the _Tribune's_ editor, also, stood the
independent, whose dislike of a party boss always encourages him to
strike whenever the way is open to deal an effective blow. This was
Greeley's great strength. It marshalled itself.

Weed summoned all his hosts. Moses H. Grinnell, Simeon Draper, and A.
Oakey Hall led the charge, flanked by a cloud of state and county
officials, and an army of politicians who filled the hotels and
crowded the lobbies of the capitol. The _Tribune_ estimated Evarts'
backers at not less than one thousand.[657] For two weeks the battle
raged with all the characteristics of an intense personal conflict.
Greeley declared it "a conflict which was to determine whether a
dynasty was to stand and give law to its subjects, or be overthrown
and annihilated. Fully appreciating this, not Richmond at Bosworth
Field, Charles at Naseby, nor Napoleon at Waterloo made a more
desperate fight for empire than did the one-man power at Albany to
retain the sceptre it has wielded for so many years over the politics
and placemen of this State."[658] In their desperation both sides
appealed to the President-elect, who refused to be drawn i