nto the
struggle. "Justice to all" was his answer to Weed. "I have said
nothing more particular to any one."[659]

[Footnote 657: New York _Tribune_, February 5, 1861.]

[Footnote 658: _Ibid._, February 5, 1861.]

[Footnote 659: Thurlow Weed Barnes, _Life of Thurlow Weed_, Vol. 2, p.
324.]

As the canvass grew older, it became known that several of Harris'
supporters would go to Greeley whenever their assistance would
nominate him. This sacrifice, however, was not to be made so long as
Harris held the balance of power; and since Weed's desire to defeat
Greeley was well understood, Harris counted with some degree of
certainty upon Evarts' supporters whenever a serious break threatened.
Weed's relations with Harris were not cordial. For years they had
lived in Albany, and as early as 1846 their ways began to diverge; but
Harris' character for wisdom, learning, and integrity compelled
respect. He had been an assemblyman in 1844 and 1845, a state senator
in 1846, a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1846, and a
justice of the Supreme Court from 1847 to 1859. His name was familiar
throughout the State. From the time he took up the cause of the
Anti-Renters in 1846 he had possessed the confidence of the common
people, and his great fairness and courtesy upon the bench had added
largely to his reputation. He was without any pretence to oratory. The
gifts that made Evarts a leader of the New York bar for three decades
did not belong to him; but everybody knew that in the United States
Senate he would do as much as Evarts to uphold President Lincoln.

The caucus convened on the evening of February 4. Only one member was
absent. Weed and Evarts sat with Governor Morgan in the executive
chamber--Harris in the rooms of Lieutenant-Governor Campbell at
Congress Hall. The first ballot gave Evarts 42, Greeley 40, Harris 20,
with 13 scattering. Bets had been made that Evarts would get 50, and
some over-sanguine ones fixed it at 60. What Weed expected does not
appear; but the second ballot, which reduced Evarts to 39 and raised
Greeley to 42, did not please Speaker Littlejohn, who carried orders
between the executive and assembly chambers. It seemed to doom Evarts
to ultimate defeat. The chamber grew dark with the gloomy frowns of
men who had failed to move their stubborn representatives. The next
four ballots, quickly taken, showed little progress, but the seventh
raised Greeley to 47 and dropped Harris to 19, while Evar