point of view; but, once committed to such a course his Conservative
friends persevered, giving him finally sixty-six out of one hundred
and six votes cast. A speech made by Assemblyman Leland of Steuben
affords an interesting glimpse of the many influences summoned from
every quarter, until men found themselves in the centre of a political
cauldron from which there seemed no escape. "All who have come up here
for office," said Leland, "have been compelled to take one side or the
other, and as neither side knows what will be the result, some have
been disposed to cry 'good Lord, if a Lord, or good devil, if not a
Lord.'" The newspapers added to the perils of the quarrel. In the
discussion preceding the election, the Albany _Atlas_, a daily paper
recently established, but until now without political prominence,
became the organ of the Radicals; and between it and the _Argus_ a
fierce editorial battle, which extended to other Democratic papers
throughout the State, made the factional division broader and more
bitter.

Despite their quarrels, which continued throughout the legislative
session, the Democrats, in the state election of November, 1843,
carried two-thirds of the Assembly and five-sixths of the Senate.
Nevertheless, the strength of the Conservatives was greatly increased.
The utter and sudden abandonment of the canals, marked by a long line
of tools left where the workmen dropped them, had played an important
part in the campaign, and when the Democratic legislative caucus
convened, in January, 1844, the friends of canal improvement easily
defeated Michael Hoffman for speaker by a vote of fifty-six to
thirty-five, in favour of Elisha Litchfield of Onondaga. Henry A.
Foster, also an uncompromising champion of the Conservatives, was
elected president _pro tem._ of the Senate. Litchfield had been in
Congress. He was a strong man of acknowledged influence in the central
counties of the State. Besides, he had been a faithful follower and
an ardent admirer of Croswell. There were those who thought Horatio
Seymour ought to be speaker; and, for a time, it looked as if he might
secure the office. He was the real leader of the Conservatives, and he
had more friends than Litchfield. But Litchfield had Croswell.

Backed by such a re-enforcement of Conservatives, Governor Bouck spoke
of canal improvement with less timidity. He admitted the necessity of
the tax law of 1842, but suggested the completion of "such new works