ow before the country," said the _Post_; "and all men of every party
who desire the good of the country and can see what is immediately
necessary to produce this good, will unite to send to Congress only
men who will vote for the immediate admission of Southern
representatives."[1079] In the opinion of such journals the situation
presented a rare opportunity to the Democratic party. By becoming the
vehicle to bring real peace and good will to the country, it would not
only efface its questionable war record, but it could "spike the guns"
of the Radicals, control Congress, sustain the President, and carry
the Empire State. This was the hope of Raymond and of Weed, back of
whom, it was said, stood tens of thousands of Republicans.

[Footnote 1079: New York _Evening Post_, August 27, 1866.]

To aid in the accomplishment of this work, great reliance had been
placed upon the tour of the President. Raymond reluctantly admitted
that these anticipations were far from realised,[1080] although the
managers thought the tour through New York, where the President had
been fairly discreet, was of value in marshalling the sentiment of
Republicans. Besides, it seemed to them to show, in rural districts
and towns as well as in the commercial centres, a decided preference
for a policy aimed to effect the union of all the States according to
the Constitution.

[Footnote 1080: New York _Times_, September 7.]

To encourage the cooeperation of Republicans, the Democrats, led by
Dean Richmond, agreed, temporarily at least, to merge their name and
organisation in that of the National Union party. This arrangement was
not easily accomplished. The _World_ hesitated and the _Leader_
ridiculed, but when the Democracy of the State approved, these
journals acquiesced.[1081] In obedience to this understanding the
Democratic State committee called a National Union State convention,
and invited all to participate who favoured the principles enunciated
by the Philadelphia convention. The obscuration of State policies and
partisan prejudices made this broad and patriotic overture, devoted
exclusively to a more perfect peace, sound as soft and winning as the
spider's invitation to the fly. "If the action of the convention is in
harmony with the spirit of the call," wrote Raymond, "it cannot fail
to command a large degree of popular support."[1082] As county
delegations equally divided between Republicans and Democrats arrived
at Albany on September 11