severe and merciless
that the distress of his opponents created sympathy for them.

[Footnote 263: _Autobiography of Thurlow Weed_, p. 361.]

Very early in the _Evening Journal's_ history Croswell invited Weed's
fire. It is doubtful if the _Argus'_ publisher thought or cared much
about the character of the reply. Editors are not usually sensitive to
the stricture of others. But when Weed's retort came, the rival
writers remained without personal or business relations until, years
afterward, Croswell, financially crushed by the failure of the Albany
Canal Bank, and suspected of dishonesty, implored Weed's assistance to
avoid a criminal indictment. In the meantime subscriptions poured into
the _Journal_. The people recognised a fighter; the thoughtful
distinguished a powerful mind; and politicians discovered such a
genius for leadership that Albany became a political centre for the
National Republicans as it was for the Bucktails. Within ten years
after its establishment, the _Evening Journal_ had the largest
circulation of any political paper in the United States.

The birth year of the _Journal_ also witnessed a reorganisation of
the Anti-Masons. Heretofore, this party had declared only its own
peculiar principles, relying for success upon the aid of the National
Republicans; but, as it now sympathised with Henry Clay upon questions
of governmental policy, especially the protection of American
industry, it became evident that, to secure the greatest political
strength, its future policy must be ardent antagonism to the
principles of the Jackson party. Accordingly, at the Utica convention,
held in August, 1830, it adopted a platform substantially embracing
the views of the National Republicans. In acknowledgment of this
change, the Adams party accepted the nomination of Francis Granger for
governor and Samuel Stevens, a prominent lawyer of Albany City and the
son of a distinguished Revolutionary officer, for lieutenant-governor.

The Bucktails did not get on so smoothly at their convention, held at
Herkimer, on September 8. Erastus Root thought if Van Buren could
afford to take the nomination away from Acting Governor Pitcher, he
might deprive Enos T. Throop of the same honour. Throop, who was
acting governor in the place of Van Buren, had proved a feeble
executive. Besides, it could not be forgotten that Throop suffered Van
Buren to humiliate Pitcher simply to make his own election sure. But
Throop had friends if no