o the penitentiary.[1023] "We are
informed," said the _Tribune_, "that Oswego county is flooded with
spurious McClellan votes of every description. There are forged votes
from living as well as from dead soldiers; fictitious votes from
soldiers whose genuine votes and powers of attorney are in the hands
of their friends. These packages correspond with the work described in
the recent Baltimore investigation."[1024] Meantime Governor Seymour,
uneasy lest the liberties of his agents be limited, directed Amasa J.
Parker, William F. Allen, and William Kelly to proceed to Washington
and "vindicate the laws of the State" and "expose all attempts to
prevent soldiers from voting, or to detain or alter the votes already
cast." These commissioners, after a hurried investigation, reported
that "although there may have been irregularities, they have found no
evidence that any frauds have been committed by any person connected
with the New York agency."[1025] Nevertheless, the sequel showed that
this plot, if not discovered, would probably have changed the result
in the State.

[Footnote 1023: Appleton's _Cyclopaedia_, 1864, pp. 584-8; New York
_Herald_, November 4 and 5; New York _Tribune_, October 27, 28, 29,
November 2, 4. 5.]

[Footnote 1024: _Ibid._, November 5, 1864.]

[Footnote 1025: Appleton's _Cyclopaedia_, 1864, pp. 584-588.]

During the last month of the campaign the interest of the whole
country centred in New York. Next to the election of Lincoln,
Republicans everywhere desired the defeat of Seymour. To them his
speech at Chicago had been a malignant indictment of the Government,
and his one address in the campaign, while it did not impute personal
dishonesty to the President, had branded his administration as a party
to fraud. Lincoln regarded the contest in New York as somewhat
personal to himself, and from day to day sought information with the
anxious persistency that characterised his inquiries during the
canvass in 1860. Fenton fully appreciated the importance of
vindicating the President, and for the admirable thoroughness of the
campaign he received great credit.

After the polls had closed on November 8 it soon became known that
although the President had 179 electoral votes to 21 for McClellan,
New York was in grave doubt. On Wednesday approximated returns put
Republicans 1,400 ahead. Finally it developed that in a total vote of
730,821, Lincoln had 6,749 more than McClellan, and Fenton 8,293 more
than