A Political History of the State of New York Volume III Part 1

A Political History of the State of NewYork.

by DeAlva Stanwood Alexander.

VOL. III

1861-1882

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. THE UPRISING OF THE NORTH. 1861

II. NEW PARTY ALIGNMENTS. 1861

III. "THE MAD DESPERATION OF REACTION." 1862

IV. THURLOW WEED TRIMS HIS SAILS. 1863

V. GOVERNOR SEYMOUR AND PRESIDENT LINCOLN. 1863

VI. SEYMOUR REBUKED. 1863

VII. STRIFE OF RADICAL AND CONSERVATIVE. 1864

VIII. SEYMOUR'S PRESIDENTIAL FEVER. 1864

IX. FENTON DEFEATS SEYMOUR. 1864

X. A COMPLETE CHANGE OF POLICY. 1865

XI. RAYMOND CHAMPIONS THE PRESIDENT. 1866

XII. HOFFMAN DEFEATED, CONKLING PROMOTED. 1866

XIII. THE RISE OF TWEEDISM. 1867

XIV. SEYMOUR AND HOFFMAN. 1868

XV. THE STATE CARRIED BY FRAUD. 1868

XVI. INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN SENATORIAL ELECTIONS. 1869

XVII. TWEED CONTROLS THE STATE. 1869-70

XVIII. CONKLING DEFEATS FENTON. 1870

XIX. TWEED WINS AND FALLS. 1870

XX. CONKLING PUNISHES GREELEY. 1871

XXI. TILDEN CRUSHES TAMMANY. 1871

XXII. GREELEY NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT. 1872

XXIII. DEFEAT AND DEATH OF GREELEY. 1872

XXIV. TILDEN DESTROYS HIS OPPONENTS. 1873-4

XXV. RIVALRY OF TILDEN AND CONKLING. 1875

XXVI. DEFEAT OF THE REPUBLICAN MACHINE. 1876

XXVII. TILDEN ONE VOTE SHORT. 1876

XXVIII. CONKLING AND CURTIS AT ROCHESTER. 1877

XXIX. THE TILDEN ReGIME ROUTED. 1877

x.x.x. GREENBACKERS SERVE REPUBLICANS. 1878

x.x.xI. REMOVAL OF ARTHUR AND CORNELL. 1878-9

x.x.xII. JOHN KELLY ELECTS CORNELL. 1879

x.x.xIII. STALWART AND HALF-BREED. 1880

x.x.xIV. TILDEN, KELLY, AND DEFEAT. 1880

x.x.xV. CONKLING DOWN AND OUT. 1881

x.x.xVI. CLEVELAND'S ENORMOUS MAJORITY. 1881-2

A POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

CHAPTER I

THE UPRISING OF THE NORTH

1861

While politicians indecently clamoured for office, as indicated in the concluding chapter of the preceding volume, President Lincoln, whenever escape from the patronage hunters permitted, was considering the wisdom of provisioning Fort Sumter. Grave doubt obtained as to the government's physical ability to succour the fort, but, a.s.suming it possible, was it wise as a political measure? The majority of the Cabinet, including Seward, voted in the negative, giving rise to the report that Sumter would be abandoned. Union people generally, wis.h.i.+ng to support the brave and loyal action of Major Anderson and his little band, vigorously protested against such an exhibition of weakness, and the longer the Government hesitated the more vigorously the popular will resented such a policy. Finally, on March 29, in spite of General Scott's advice and Secretary Seward's opinion, the President, guided by public sentiment, directed a relief expedition to be ready to sail as early as April 6.