I
live," he said to Weed, "and my principles ever do find favour with
the people, I shall not be without their respect. Believe me, there
is no affectation in my saying that I would not now exchange the
feelings and associations of the vanquished William H. Seward for the
victory and 'spoils' of William L. Marcy."[282]

[Footnote 282: _Autobiography of William H. Seward_, p. 241.]

A POLITICAL HISTORY

OF THE

STATE OF NEW YORK

BY

DeALVA STANWOOD ALEXANDER, A.M.

_Member of Congress, Formerly United States Attorney for the Northern
District of New York_

VOL. II

1833-1861

[Illustration]

NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
1906

Copyright, 1906
By
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

CONTENTS

VOL. II

CHAPTER PAGE

I. VAN BUREN AND ABOLITION. 1833-1837 1

II. SEWARD ELECTED GOVERNOR. 1836-1838 15

III. THE DEFEAT OF VAN BUREN FOR PRESIDENT. 1840 31

IV. HUMILIATION OF THE WHIGS. 1841-1842 47

V. DEMOCRATS DIVIDE INTO FACTIONS. 1842-1844 56

VI. VAN BUREN DEFEATED AT BALTIMORE. 1844 65

VII. SILAS WRIGHT AND MILLARD FILLMORE. 1844 76

VIII. THE RISE OF JOHN YOUNG. 1845-1846 90

IX. FOURTH CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 1846 103

X. DEFEAT AND DEATH OF SILAS WRIGHT. 1846-1847 114

XI. THE FREE-SOIL CAMPAIGN. 1847-1848 129

XII. SEWARD SPLITS THE WHIG PARTY. 1849-1850 145

XIII. THE WHIGS' WATERLOO. 1850-1852 159

XIV. THE HARDS AND THE SOFTS. 1853 180

XV. A BREAKING-UP OF PARTY TIES. 1854 190

XVI. FORMATION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. 1854-1855 205

XVII. FIRST REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR. 1856 222

XVIII. THE IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT. 1857-1858 243

XIX. SEWARD'S BID FOR THE PRESIDENCY. 1859-1860 256

XX. DEAN RICHMOND'S LEADERSHIP AT CHARLESTON. 1860 270

XXI. SEWARD DEFEATED AT CHICAGO. 1860 281

XXII. NEW YORK'S CONTROL AT BALTIMORE. 1860 294

XXIII. RAYMOND, GREELEY, AND WEED. 1