timent of its party and the
growing influence of a war necessity. Greeley fought with a
broad-sword, swinging it with a vigorous and well-aimed effect, while
Bennett, with lighter weapon, pricked, stabbed, and cut. Never
inactive, the latter sought to aggravate and embitter. Greeley, on the
contrary, intent upon forcing the Administration to change its policy,
ignored his tormentor, until exasperation, like the gathering steam in
a geyser, drove him into further action. In this prolonged controversy
the _Tribune_ invariably referred to its adversary as "the _Herald_,"
but in the _Herald_, "Greeley," "old Greeley," "poor Greeley," "Mars
Greeley," "poor crazy Greeley," became synonyms for the editor of the
_Tribune_.

The fight of these able and conspicuous journals represented the
fierceness with which emancipation was pushed and opposed throughout
the State. Conservative men, therefore, realising the danger to which
a bitter campaign along strict party lines would subject the Union
cause, demanded that all parties rally to the support of the
Government with a candidate for governor devoted to conservative
principles and a vigorous prosecution of the war. Sentiment seemed to
point to John A. Dix as such a man. Though not distinguished as a
strategist or effective field officer, he possessed courage, caution,
and a desire to crush the rebellion. The policy of this movement,
embracing conservative Republicans and war Democrats, was urged by
Thurlow Weed, sanctioned by Seward, and heartily approved by John Van
Buren, who, since the beginning of hostilities, had avoided party
councils. The Constitutional Union party, composed of old line Whigs
who opposed emancipation,[824] proposed to lead this movement at its
convention, to be held at Troy on September 9, but at the appointed
time James Brooks, by prearrangement, appeared with a file of
instructed followers, captured the meeting, and gave Horatio Seymour
32 votes to 20 for Dix and 6 for Millard Fillmore. This unexpected
result made Seymour the candidate of the Democratic State convention
which met at Albany on the following day.

[Footnote 824: New York _Herald_, October 15, 1862.]

Seymour sincerely preferred another. Early in August he travelled from
Utica to Buffalo to resist the friendship and the arguments of Dean
Richmond. It cannot be said that he had outlived ambition. He
possessed wealth, he was advancing in his political career, and he
aspired to higher honou