History of the state of New York, political and governmental, Vol. II 1822-1864, Part 1

Author: Smith, Ray Burdick, 1867- ed; Johnson, Willis Fletcher, 1857-1931; Brown, Roscoe Conkling Ensign, 1867-; Spooner, Walter W; Holly, Willis, 1854-1931
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., The Syracuse Press
Number of Pages: 638


USA > New York > History of the state of New York, political and governmental, Vol. II 1822-1864 > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38



Gc 974.7 Sm57h v.2 1485709


M. K


H


GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01152 1389


GENEALOGY 974.7 SM57H V.2


William H. Mullow.


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015


https://archive.org/details/historyofstateof02smit 0


-


Lewis Historical Pub. Ca.


Photo, from the Meserve Americana Collectian


The by E. G. Williams & Bro N.Y.


Millia .It Seura


WILLIAM HENRY SEWARD


William Henry Seward, 14th governor (1839-42) ; born at Florida, Orange county, N. Y., May 16, 1801; lawyer; member state senate, 1831-1834; unsuccessful as whig candidate for gov- ernor, 1834; elected 1838, served 1839-42; elected to United States senate in 1849 and served until March 3, 1861; secre- tary of state in President Lincoln's and President Johnson's cabinet (March 5, 1861, to March 3, 1869) ; largely instrumental in securing redress from Great Britain for damages wrought American shipping on the high seas by the Alabama and in concluding with Russia the arrangements for the purchase of Alaska; died at Auburn, N. Y., October 10, 1872.


٨٠ عا


WAWAB YANTH MALIJIW


je niod ; (SA-0881) Toni9vog itt bTSW98 gingH msifliW


-vog tot stsbibaso gidw as lutassowani ; +881-1881 9isnye sista beting of bolo ;SA-east bovina ,8881 botogly ; +881 ,10019 -91092 ; 1081 & doisM Ibmw bevise bris 0+81 ni 9jsn92 291612 a'noando[ inebienI bre amloonil mobiasi mi siste lo vist Istnomunteni vlogist ; (2081 ,& doTEM of , 1881 ,2 doisM) tonides idguoiw asgsmsb Tot gistird 19910 mort 2291ber gaituosa ni ni bas smedsIA adt ed esse did odt no grigqide nsofromA to sesdoing odt iot atasmegAsiis ods sieand diw gribulonos .ST8I ,Of TodotoO .. Y .V. ,nauduA is boib ; ExesiA


HISTORY


OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK


POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL


EDITED BY RAY B. SMITH


EXCELSIOR


VOLUME II 1822 - 1864 BY


WILLIS FLETCHER JOHNSON


THE SYRACUSE PRESS, INC. SYRACUSE. N. Y. 1922


COPYRIGHTED THE SYRACUSE PRESS, INC. 1922


1485709


CONTENTS OF VOLUME II


CHAPTER I, 1822


THE ALBANY REGENCY


End of rule by the great families


15


Growth in population.


16


Beginnings of the Regency.


17


Samuel A. Talcott


18


Benjamin F. Butler; William L. Marcy.


19


High character of the Regency.


20


Its first achievement.


22


Democratic supremacy


22


CHAPTER II, 1823-1824


GOVERNOR YATES'S ADMINISTRATION


The Forty-sixth Legislature.


24


Recommendations by the Governor ....


25


Contention over judicial nominations


27


Ambrose Spencer's disgruntlement and revenge


29


The State Printers


31


Edwin Croswell.


32


National politics in 1823


33


The question of choosing Presidential Electors


35


The Forty-seventh Legislature


37


Battle royal over the Electors


39


Crawford, Jackson, Adams.


41


Yates incurs unpopluarity


42


The Regency turns to Samuel Young.


43


DeWitt Clinton favors Jackson for President.


44


The scheme to remove Clinton from the canal board.


45


Henry Cunningham's eloquent speech.


46


The scheme put through.


47


CHAPTER III, 1824-1825


THE RETURN OF CLINTON


Popular wrath


48


Alfred Conkling's resolutions.


49


Governor Yates reconvenes the Legislature


51


Contest over the Electors resumed


52


Enter the People's party.


53


Clinton nominated for Governor


54


His triumphant election.


56


The great Presidential struggle.


57


The Legislature chooses the Electors.


59


Thurlow Weed manipulates for Adams


60


The divided result. 62


Stephen Van Rensselaer gives the casting vote at Washington. 63


The popular will as to the Electors finally prevails. 65


CHAPTER IV, 1825-1826


CLINTON THE CONQUEROR


Clinton's third term; the Forty-eighth Legislature. 67


Message of 1825.


68


The great Suffrage amendment of 1826 69


A bitter Senatorial fight.


71


Clinton declines a flattering offer.


72


Opening of the Erie canal


74


Van Buren consults expediency.


75


The Forty-ninth Legislature ..


76


Nathan Sanford wins the Senatorship.


77


Jasper Ward demands an inquiry; is accommodated


79


The State highway project.


79


Clinton renominated


80


The regulars put up Judge Rochester.


81


Clinton again wins.


82


CHAPTER V, 1826-1828


WILLIAM MORGAN, "AFTER ELECTION"


Morgan sets out to expose the Masons


83


The abduction.


84


Sensational developments.


85


"A good enough Morgan"


86


The Fiftieth Legislature.


87


The Governor offers a reward; Van Buren reelected


88


The Anti-Masonic movement.


89


Its spread nationally.


91


Subsidence and end.


92


Henry Clay and his System.


93


Tammany endorses Jackson


94,95


The Fifty-first Legislature.


95


Death of DeWitt Clinton.


96


Nathaniel Pitcher, Acting-Governor


97


Reuben H. Walworth, Chancellor


99


CHAPTER VI, 1828-1829


VAN BUREN AND THROOP


The master politician looks ahead 101


The National Republicans; Francis Granger 102


Honest John Crary declines to decline. 103


Van Buren at the zenith of his career. 104


An intimate view. 105


Enos T. Throop. 106


+


Van Buren and Throop nominated 108 They are elected. 109


The Fifty-second Legislature 110


Governor Van Buren's humility 111 A board of Bank Commissioners 112


Van Buren becomes Jackson's Secretary of State. 113


Acting-Governor Throop 115


Death of John Jay. 116


CHAPTER VII, 1830-1831 THE RISE OF NEW FORCES


The Fifty-third Legislature. 117


Throop advocates prison reform. 118


Weed founds the Albany Evening Journal.


119


A remarkable reencounter. 120


Francis Granger runs for Governor. 121


Throop renominated; Erastus Root's circumspection. 122


Throop elected; the Fifty-fourth Legislature 123


Imprisonment for debt abolished. 125


Marcy elected Senator. 125


President Jackson and the United States Bank


126


CHAPTER VIII, 1831-1832


A DIPLOMATIC INTERLUDE


Van Buren takes another look ahead


128


The virtue of Mrs. Eaton. 130


Jackson's immortal toast. 132


Van Buren the recognized successor 133


Resigns from the cabinet; Minister to England


134


His recall


136


Nominated for Vice-President in 1832. 137


CHAPTER IX, 1832-1833


MARCY BECOMES GOVERNOR


The Fifty-fifth Legislature 138


Railroads; The United States Bank 139


Boards of Health instituted. 140


State nominations of 1832 141-143


143


The issue of Marcy's trousers


144


Marcy elected Governor ..


145


The Fifty-sixth Legislature .. '146


The Nullificationists denounced. 147


Silas Wright succeeds Marcy in the Senate. 148


Albert H. Tracy returns to the fold. 149


Party issues. 150


Butler made Attorney-General of the United States 151


Things are explained to the Chenango people ..


CHAPTER X, 1834 THE RISE OF THE WHIGS Business depression 152


The Fifty-seventh Legislature. 153


Schools and farms


155


A close New York City election 158


The Whig party comes on the scene.


159


William H. Seward


161


His first nomination for Governor. 162


Marcy reëlected 163


CHAPTER XI


STATE CARE FOR AGRICULTURE


Governor Marcy's recommendations of 1834. 164


The State Agricultural Society's early program. 165


Genesis of the State Fair. 166


The first Fair 167


The second and third Fairs. 168, 169


Daniel Webster addresses the farmers 170


Progress of the Fair. 172


The Elmira contract. 173


Permanent home at Syracuse.


173


State control. 175


CHAPTER XII, 1835-1836


VAN BUREN . AND SLAVERY


The Fifty-eighth Legislature. 177


179


Governor Marcy on prison labor


180


Van Buren nominated for President 182


183


Southern favor sought by Van Buren


185


The Loco Focos.


186


The Fifty-ninth Legislature.


188


Speculation rampant.


189


Marcy on the Abolitionists


190


Applications from the south.


191


Corrupt legislators.


192


CHAPTER XIII, 1836-1837 THE REVOLUTION OF 1837


Democratic anxiety 194


Whig confusion.


195


Governor Marcy renominated, 1836.


197


Jesse Buel leads a forlorn hope.


198


The railroads seek a loan


Anti-slavery activities.


Van Buren and Marcy win.


199, 200


The Sixtieth Legislature. 201 Financial ills. 203


The panic. 205


Prohibition of small banknotes. 206


The Whigs carry New York City


207


Van Buren's attitude. 208


Election of 1837-sweeping Whig victory.


209


CHAPTER XIV, 1838-1839


"SEWARD, WEED AND GREELEY"


The Sixty-first Legislature


211


The "Caroline" affair.


213


Canal enlargements


214


Marcy's fourth nomination for Governor.


215


Seward nominated by the Whigs


218


Greeley attracts Weed.


219


The Jeffersonian


220


Gerrit Smith's obduracy


221


Pessimism of Granger and Fillmore


222


Seward elected


223


Weed and the charge of dictatorship.


225


The new Governor's progressive policies


227


Nathaniel P. Talmadge reelected Senator.


229


The Anti-Rent war.


230


Seward refuses to surrender fugitive slaves


231


President Van Buren comes to mend his fences 232


Democratic hopes revive. 233


The Whigs retain the advantage in New York. 233


The Whig national convention nominates Harrison. 234


CHAPTER XV, 1840


"TIPPECANOE AND TYLER TOO'


Van Buren and the Sub-Treasury. 236


The strange error of the godlike Daniel 237


The Democrats renominate Van Buren 238


The Abolitionists start a party. 239


Greeley's Log Cabin. 240


Governor Seward suffers criticism 241, 242


Harrison and Seward successful.


243


The Sixty-third Legislature. 243


Railroads and canals. 244


The Anti-Rent troubles continue 245


To the Whigs belong the spoils


246


Statistical


247-249


CHAPTER XVI, 1841-1842 WHIG DISASTER


The Sixty-fourth Legislature. 251


Glentworth the pipe-layer. 252


Seward and the education of immigrants' children .. 253


254


The schools; capital punishment.


255


McLeod's prevarication 256-257


President Harrison dies; Tyler's recreancy. 257


The Sixty-fifth Legislature. 258


259


Seward the inflexible.


260


The Legislature and Governor at odds 260-263


John C. Spencer appointed Secretary of War. 263


Governor Seward's valedictory 266


State nominations in 1842. 266


Democrats win a complete victory; Bouck elected Governor 267


CHAPTER XVII


THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD


A system of secret service for fugitive slaves. 268


New York's importance in the system. 269


The first Fugitive Slave law, 1793. 270


The drastic law of 1850 271


Syracuse organizes a vigilance committee.


272


The necessity for secrecy


273


Routes


274


The grapevine telegraph.


276


Gerrit Smith


278


John Brown.


280


The Anthony Burns case in Boston


282 283


"The satanic Daniel Webster"


286


Thurlow Weed's assistance ..


286


John Jay the second. 287


A thrilling rescue in New York City


288


CHAPTER XVIII, 1843-1844 GOVERNOR BOUCK


The first farmer Governor. 291


The Sixty-sixth Legislature. 292


State and Federal relations 293


Bouck favors delivery of fugitive slaves. 293


Croswell ousts Weed as State Printer. 294, 295


Wright reelected to the Senate 295


Validity of the State bonds. 296


Frederick Douglass


277


The Jerry rescue in Syracuse.


Demands from Virginia.


Further southern communications.


Factional troubles do not prevent Democratic success. 297 The New York Tribune. 298


Governor Bouck not big enough. 299


The Sixty-seventh Legislature .. 300


The enemies of the canals put up a fight.


302


Horatio Seymour to the rescue. 302


Normal schools 304.


Van Buren loses the Presidential nomination 306-307


Wright refuses to run for Vice-President. 307-308


He is nominated by the Democrats for Governor. 308-309


Millard Fillmore nominated by the Whigs. 309


Democratic victory in State and Nation 310


CHAPTER XIX, 1845-1846 SILAS WRIGHT


The Sixty-eighth Legislature. 312


Horatio Seymour, Speaker. 313


The people vote for a Constitutional convention 315


Croswell as philosopher and guide to President Polk. 315-316


Marcy apopinted Secretary of War. 317


John Young seeks and finds his opportunity. 317-319


Troubles thicken for the Democrats. 321


Governor Wright invites a referendum


323


The Democrats still hold the Legislature.


324


The Sixty-ninth Legislature


325


The office of State Printer abolished


328


State nominations of 1846


329-331


John Young elected Governor


332


The end of Wright's career. 332


CHAPTER XX, 1846 THE THIRD. CONSTITUTION


The Democrats organize the convention. 334


Conspicuous members-and absentees. 334-335


Veto power, Senators, Assemblymen.


336


Judges made elective; other judicial changes.


337


Negroes, banks, State debt, canals


337


Ratification of the Constitution.


338


County organization up to 1846.


338-339


Population and its distribution.


340


CHAPTER XXI


THE WOMAN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT


A long struggle 341


Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton 342


The Seneca Falls convention, 1848. 343


Judge Cady upbraids his daughter 344


The Syracuse convention, 1852 345


Mrs. Smith's too fine clothes 345


Miss Anthony's great campaign of 1854-55 346


Rights for negroes-why not for women? 347 Bitter disappointment 348


Miss Anthony votes.


349


Justice Hunt's fine


349


CHAPTER XXII, 1847-1848 THE FREE SOIL REVOLT


The Seventieth Legislature. ..... 351


Governor Young on the new Constitution.


352


Reconstruction of the judiciary. 353


Canal work. 354


New York and the Wilmot Proviso. 355


Hunkers and Barnburners 356


James S. Wadsworth leads a Democratic bolt. 357


John Van Buren. 358


Whig success in 1847 359


The Seventy-first Legislature 360


The Baltimore Democratic convention of 1848


362


Barnburners at Utica and Buffalo.


362-363


For Free Soil and-Martin Van Buren.


363


Taylor and Fillmore.


364


Governor Young turned down by his party.


364


State nominations of 1848


365


Whigs elect.the President and sweep the State.


365


CHAPTER XXIII, 1849-1850 THE DECLINE OF THE WHIGS


Hamilton Fish, Governor. 367


His high principles and spirit


368


The Seventy-second Legislature 371


Seward elected Senator. 372-373


Patronage squabbles 373-374


The Democrats reunite. 374


The great Compromise fight of 1850. 375


Seward's reminder of a "higher law" 376


Fillmore becomes President 376


The bolt of the Silver Grays 378


Seymour leads the Democrats. 378


Whigs win; Washington Hunt elected Governor. 379


Acquisition of Washington's headquarters at Newburgh. 380


CHAPTER XXIV, 1851-1852


THE FALL OF THE WHIGS


Governor Hunt's temperate mind.


381


The Seventy-fourth Legislature.


382


The ambition of James Watson Webb 383 A sartorial subject. 384


Henry J. Raymond : the New York Times 384 Fish chosen Senator. 385


Factions now rend the Whigs 386


Senator Fish denounces Fillmore. 387


The Seventy-fifth Legislature. 387


President Fillmore defeated for renomination. 389


Marcy distanced by a dark horse ..... 390


Pierce elected President, Seymour, Governor. 392


CHAPTER XXV, 1853-1854


THE WAR OF HARDS AND SOFTS


The Seventy-sixth Legislature. 394


Canal affairs.


395


Marcy heads Pierce's cabinet.


396


More trouble in the Democratic party


397


The division into Hards and Softs.


398


Charles O'Conor. 399


Election of 1853; Whigs win because of Democratic split. 399-400


The Seventy-seventh Legislature. 400


An aggressive temperance move; Seymour calls a halt. 401


Kansas-Nebraska 402


State conventions of 1854 403-406


Myron H. Clark, Whig, elected Governor 406


The coming of a new era .. 407


CHAPTER XXVI, 1855-1856


THE REPUBLICAN ADVENT


Seward's Presidential expectations 408


The Seventy-eighth Legislature 409


Know-Nothings against Seward. 410


He is reëlected Senator. 411


State conventions of 1855. 411-413


The Know-Nothings elect their ticket 413


The Seventy-ninth Legislature. 414


National and State conventions of 1856 415-418


The Republican party carries the State 419


CHAPTER XXVII, 1857-1858 THE FIRST REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR


The Eightieth Legislature. 420


Governor John A. King's vigorous message. 421


Preston King goes to the Senate. 423


Election of 1857; the Eighty-first Legislature.


424


State conventions and nominations of 1858


426-428


Seward's Irrepressible Conflict speech. 429


Republicans elect Edwin D. Morgan Governor 431


1


CHAPTER XXVIII, 1859-1860 THE EVE OF WAR


The Eighty-second Legislature. 432


Republican State convention of 1859 433


Democratic conventions ; Fernando Wood. 434


Mixed result at the polls 435


The Eighty-third Legislature. 436


Abraham Lincoln at Cooper Union. 437


Seward speaks in the Senate 438


Dean Richmond controls for New York at Charleston 439


The Baltimore convention of the Democrats.


440


The Republicans at Chicago.


442


Seward's defeat. 443


State conventions of 1860 444-445


Lincoln elected President; Morgan reelected Governor 446


CHAPTER XXIX, 1861 THE WAR GOVERNOR


The Eighty-fourth Legislature. 447


Fernando Wood's traitorous scheme. 448


Efforts for peace 449


"Shoot him on the spot"-Secretary Dix. 450


The Tweedle Hall Convention 451


Weed wreaks revenge on Greeley. 453


The Barney appointment. 454


Governor Morgan's energy. 455


The Tribune's excess of zeal. 456


State conventions of 1861 457-458


Democrats again beaten at the polls. 458


CHAPTER XXX, 1862-1864.


REACTION AND REVERSAL


The Eighty-fifth Legislature. 460


Democrats nominate Seymour for Governor, 1862 462


Republicans nominate James S. Wadsworth 463


Seymour the winner ... 464


The Eighty-sixth Legislature 465


Chauncey M. Depew foregoes the Speakership


465-466


Morgan chosen Senator.


467


Thurlow Weed retires. 467


The draft riots. 469


State conventions of 1863; Republican victory. 469-470


The Eighty-seventh Legislature. 471


National and State conventions of 1864. 472-474


Lincoln reelected President; Fenton becomes Governor. 475


INDEX to Volumes I and II. 477


(See end of Table of Contents, Vol. I)


ILLUSTRATIONS


with BIOGRAPHIES


Susan B. Anthony


352


Samuel Beardsley


192


William C. Bouck


272


John Brown 288


Greene C. Bronson


128


William Cullen Bryant


144


Benjamin F. Butler


160


Carrie Chapman Catt.


352


Myron Holly Clark


416


George Franklin Comstock.


416


Hiram Denio


400


Hamilton Fish


368


Addison Gardiner


320


Ira Harris


464


Philip Hone


80


Washington Hunt


384


Freeborn G. Jewett.


336


John Alsop King


432


Preston King


304


William L. Marcy


208


Harriet May Mills


352


Edwin D. Morgan


448


Henry Cruse Murphy.


272


Thomas J. Oakley


48


Nathaniel Pitcher (biography, no portrait).


96


Henry J. Raymond.


464


Dean Richmond


256


John Savage


64


William Henry Seward


Frontispiece


Anna Howard Shaw


352


Gerrit Smith


288


John Canfield Spencer


240


Elizabeth Cady Stanton


352


Enos Thompson Throop


112


John Van Buren.


304


James S. Wadsworth


176


Thurlow Weed


224


Fernando Wood.


448


Silas Wright


320


Joseph C. Yates


32


John Young


336


Samuel Lee Selden.


432


FOREWORD


The history of New York is peculiarly interwoven with the careers of our national parties and their many extraordinary leaders. It is not merely from the records of personal and party rivalries, however, that it derives its singular importance and interest. The Empire State has maintained an almost continuous leadership among the states and at all times has been a most powerful, when not an actually controlling, factor in shaping the policies of the Nation. With rare exceptions the general political sentiment of the country has been identical with the prevailing senti- ment of New York. From the time of Hamilton and the Clintons to the present the balance between the great parties has been remarkably even and the party in power has been forced, if it would succeed, to so act as to acquit itself well with the people. This even balance and the inexorable necessities of party com- petition has been of inestimable benefit to New York and through her a commanding influence for good government in the entire Nation.


The close of the Civil War marks the dividing line between two distinct and well defined epochs in national history. The issue of slavery and its elim- ination resulted necessarily in a complete social, political and economic readjustment. Old party ties were swept away, new affiliations and alliances were formed, all working, however, for the reconstruction on a safe and sound basis of the Union, saved at the


priceless cost of the lives and suffering of the bravest and best men and women the world had ever known.


Due to the momentous issues and consequent bitter controversies involved, the history of the first epoch has been covered from many angles, by many writers, actuated by varying motives-patriotism, self interest, passion, prejudice-all influenced by environment. To select from this mass of material what should stand as unbiased, authentic history is no light task. This is what we have endeavored to do and I believe it has been done.


Included in this volume, out of their chronological order, are three chapters covering specific subjects, viz: Chapter XI on State care for agriculture; Chapter XVII on the system of secret service for fugi- tive slaves popularly known as "the underground railroad"; and Chapter XXI on the woman's rights movement. The second subject mentioned belonged in its entirety to this period. The other two had their inception within it, the first in later years developing into the State Fair, the third into the nineteenth amend- ment to the Federal constitution. All three deserve a permanent place in the history of our State.


The principles and policies established as funda- mental to our national growth and progress during the pre-war period can be readily traced into the changed political setting following the war. They stand im- mutably as the impregnable bulwark of our national rights and liberties to be forever cherished and defended. R. B. S.


CHAPTER I


THE ALBANY REGENCY


T HE new Constitution of 1821-22 ushered in a new era in the technical government of the State of New York. Simultaneously with its going into force there occurred a still more radical and momentous change in the unofficial political complexion and con- trol of the State. The rule of the great families was ended, and that of practical politicians was established. This change had indeed been coming upon the State for some time. The power of the Schuylers had never been reestablished after the death of Hamilton, and it was now only a memory. The power of the Living- stons had waned almost to nothingness, save as landed proprietors. The rule of the house of Clinton lasted longest, but it also was now ended; for while DeWitt Clinton was still a major factor in State affairs he was so by virtue of his own genius, and the issues and works for which he stood, rather than because of his family connections. A few great landowners still maintained almost baronial sway, notably Stephen Van Rensselaer, the "great patroon," and the lords of Livingston manor. But their power was economic and social rather than political, and already even at Rensselaerswyck the spirit of revolt had been kindled, which was to flame up in the Anti-Rent party and the Helderberg war.


15


16


POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK


The State was growing enormously in population, having much more than doubled in numbers in twenty years. In 1800 the census showed 589,051 souls; in 1810, 959,049; and in 1820, 1,372,812. In this last enu- meration it surpassed Virginia and for the first time at- tained the rank which it has ever since easily held of the most populous State in the Union. In 1800 it had been third, Virginia and Pennsylvania being respectively first and second ; and in 1810 it had stood second to Vir- ginia. This growth of population, apart from the birth rate, was due to immigration from New England, to which we have referred in the preceding volume, and also to immigration from Europe, for which New York City was the nation's chief port of entry. Now the New Englanders were imbued with a more democratic spirit than the old aristocracy of New York, and of course the peasantry from Europe had no regard for great families in the new world. There was thus a pro- gressive transformation of the character and disposition of the citizenry, and the democratic provisions of the new Constitution invested the people with a power which they never before had known.


There then arose, to take the place of the great fam- ilies in political leadership and dominance, the most noteworthy of all the "rings" in the history of the State, in which such organizations have been more numerous and more potent than in any other. This was the "Albany Regency," at first a triumvirate but later a more numerous body, which for a third of a century dominated the political life of New York and not in- frequently exerted a controlling influence upon the


17


THE ALBANY REGENCY


politics of the nation. We have called it a "ring." But it had little or nothing in common with the offensive "rings" of later days that have been composed of politi- cians of low ideals, dubious integrity, and more cunning than statesmanship, and have been formed and con- ducted for sordid purposes of patronage and "graft." Not such was the Albany Regency. Its members were the foremost statesmen and jurists of the State, men of genius, of lofty ideals, of unblemished honor, whose aim was the development of civic institutions and the maintenance of political principles. Perhaps no higher tribute can be paid them than that voluntarily offered by the man who gave them the name of "Albany Regency" and who for many years was their most im- placable and formidable political antagonist. This was Thurlow Weed, who testified that the members of the Regency were characterized by "great ability, great industry, indomitable courage, and strict personal in- tegrity," and who added that in his long life of political activity and observation he had "never known a body of men who possessed so much power and used it so well."


The original triumvirate was composed of Samuel A. Talcott, William L. Marcy, and Benjamin F. Butler -clara et venerabilia nomina. They were three of the finest examples of young American manhood and citi- zenship of their time. All were young, all lawyers, all members of the Bucktail faction of the Democratic party under the lead of Martin Van Buren and opposed to DeWitt Clinton, and all office-holders, put into their places by the notorious penultimate Council of Ap- pointment in 1821 which by its arbitrary conduct sealed




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.