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William n. Mullow
Horace Freely.
HORACE GREELEY
Horace Greeley, journalist; born at Amherst, N. H., Febru- ary 3, 1811; attended the public schools; apprenticed to the printer's trade in East Poultney, Vt., 1826, 1830; worked as a journeyman printer in Erie, Pa. and after August, 1831 in New York City; began the publication of the Morning Post, January 1, 1833, but it was discontinued soon; published The New Yorker, 1834-1841; edited The Log Cabin in 1840; founded The New York Tribune, April 10, 1841 and edited it until his death; elected as a Whig to the 30th congress to fill vacancy caused by the unseating of David S. Jackson and served from December 4, 1848 to March 3, 1849; visited Europe in 1851 and was chairman of one of the juries at the world's fair; presi- dential elector on the Lincoln and Johnson ticket in 1864; delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1867; at the close of the civil war advocated universal amnesty and universal suffrage and in May, 1867 offered himself as bondsman for Jefferson Davis; in November 1867 appointed by President Johnson United States minister to Austria but declined; nomi- nated by the reform republicans in Cincinnati in 1872 and by the Democrats in Baltimore for the presidency, but was defeated by General Grant; died in an asylum near New York City, November 29, 1872.
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HISTORY
OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK
POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL V.5
EDITED BY RAY B. SMITH
EXCELSIOR
NATIONAL PARTY HISTORIES BY WILLIS FLETCHER JOHNSON WALTER W. SPOONER WILLIS HOLLY
THE SYRACUSE PRESS, INC. SYRACUSE, N. Y. 1922
COPYRIGHTED THE SYRACUSE PRESS, INC. 1922
1485712
CONTENTS OF VOLUME V
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
INTRODUCTION
Politics the science of government. 17
Government by political parties. 18
Insignificance and futility of minor parties. 19
The Republican party's record and fitness. 21
"The Party of the Republic"
22
THE FORMATIVE PERIOD
CHAPTER I.
ORIGIN
Genesis of the slavery issue
24
The Kansas-Nebraska bill, 1854.
25
The Whig party comes to its end
26
The new party: its galaxy of noble leaders
27-28
No further extension of slavery.
28-29
The name
29-30
Nathaniel P. Banks elected Speaker
31
CHAPTER II.
THE FIRST CAMPAIGN
The Pittsburgh convention for organization, 1856 32
The first National nominating convention, 1856. 33
Fremont and Dayton.
33-34
The platform, the campaign and the result.
34-37
Position and course of the Democrats.
37-38
John Brown Insurrection 38
Lecompton Constitution
38-39
CHAPTER III.
THE LEADERSHIP OF LINCOLN
1858: The crisis at hand 40
Lincoln and Seward define the issue
41
Lincoln's Senatorial campaign in Illinois
42-43
The Republicans again organize the House
43
1860: Democrats and Constitutional Unionists. 44-45
The Republican convention at Chicago 45
Its platform. 47-48
Lincoln and Hamlin.
49
Their triumphant election.
50-51
WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION CHAPTER IV. THE CIVIL WAR
Liberty and Union 52
Lincoln vs. Buchanan 53
The Emancipation proclamation 54
The Thirteenth amendment, abolishing slavery. 56
1864: Lincoln renominated and reelected. 57-58
CHAPTER V.
CONSTRUCTIVE LEGISLATION
Reformation of the tariff 59-61
Banking and currency 61-63
Homesteads for the people. 63-65
Agriculture and education 65
Pacific Railroad
65-66
CHAPTER VI.
SOME EXTERNAL INTERESTS
Great Britain's course in the Civil War 67
Charles Francis Adams
68
The Geneva award. 69
Louis Napoleon's army decamps from Mexico 70-72
Seward's purchase of Alaska
72-73
CHAPTER VII.
RESTORING THE UNION
President Johnson's differences with Congress 74-76
Reconstruction to maintain the results of the war 76-77
Fourteenth amendment, for civil rights and justice. 77
Representation : no more "three-fifths" people. 80
Removal of disabilities; pensions; debts
81-82
Johnson's unavailing opposition 83
Fifteenth amendment; suffrage regardless of color 84
MATERIAL INTERESTS CHAPTER VIII.
FINANCIAL INTEGRITY
Presidential campaign of 1868 85
Grant and Colfax.
86
Their election
87
Greenbacks, bonds, resumption
87-91
CHAPTER IX.
PROGRESS AND REFORM
The right of expatriation. 92
Completion of the Pacific Railroad.
94
Reform of the civil service 94-95
Postal reform and other achievements. 95
Suppression of the Ku Klux. 96
Campaign of 1872. 97
Grant and Wilson, and their election 98-100
President Grant's second term 100
Specie payments resumed.
101
CHAPTER X.
PROMOTING AMERICAN INDUSTRY
The Democrats win the House, 1874 102
Tariff questions. 103
1876: Hayes and Wheeler. 104-105
President Hayes's administration 105
1880: Garfield and Arthur 106-108
President Garfield; tariff and prosperity.
108
President Arthur. 108
CHAPTER XI. TARIFF CONTROVERSIES
The Civil Service Reform bill passed 110
1884: Blaine and Logan; their defeat 110-112
The Democrats in power. 112-113
1888: Harrison and Morton; their election
114
1892: Harrison and Reid; their defeat.
114-115
The Democratic Wilson-Gorman tariff. 115-116
1896: Mckinley and Hobart; their election 116-118
The Dingley tariff. 118
1900: Mckinley and Roosevelt; their election 118-119
President Mckinley on the tariff. 119
Subsequent tariff history. 119-121-
CHAPTER XII. SOUND MONEY
The silver fallacy 122
The Bland and Sherman acts 123
The great fight of 1896 124
The Gold Standard act. 125
NATIONAL EXPANSION CHAPTER XIII.
NEW STATES AND TERRITORIES
126-127
Admission of States by the Republicans.
Alaska, Hawaii, Philippines, Porto Rico, Panama, etc.
127
The Open door; Pan-American union 128
112
1890: The Mckinley tariff.
The Isthmian canal; Roosevelt and the Kaiser 129 America a world power. 129
International justice, but no wanton meddling. 130
CHAPTER XIV.
"BIG BUSINESS"
Advantages and their abuse 131
The Sherman Anti-Trust act. 132
1904: Roosevelt and Fairbanks; their election. 133
President Roosevelt and the square deal 134
1908: Taft and Sherman; their election 135-136
Currency measures. 136-137
CHAPTER XV.
PARTY READJUSTMENT
The Payne-Aldrich tariff 138
Reciprocity ; Canada's action. 139
1912: The party split .. 139
The Democratic return. 140
1916: Hughes and Fairbanks. 141-142
The second Wilson administration 143
1918: The Republicans regain Congress.
144
CHAPTER XVI. EQUAL SUFFRAGE
Republican platform expressions. ...... 147-149
Republicans and the Nineteenth amendment. 150-152
CHAPTER XVII. NATION OR LEAGUE?
The Senate rejects the Wilson League. 153
Objections to the League .. 155
The referendum. 157
1920: Harding and Coolidge 157-160
Their great victory 160-163
Conclusion 163
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
CHAPTER I, 1791-1801
THE PARTY OF THE PEOPLE
Founded to resist favor to the few 171
173
For the equal rights of all.
Early supremacy of the Federalists 173
The Anti-Federalists 174
The doctrine of The most Important people. 175
Democracy abhorred by Hamilton. 176 Grudgingly tolerated by John Adams. 177
Why a British Constitution for us? 179
Thomas Jefferson establishes the Democratic party 180-181
181
Original name. Fundamental principles 182-184
CHAPTER II, 1801-1809 CHARACTER AND ABILITY
The pride of the Important humbled 185
Virtues and shortcomings of the Federalists. 186-188
Jefferson's first administration
188
Creed of the loving supporters of the true faith
189-190
The Democracy and the masses; an appreciation 190-193
193
1804: Jefferson overwhelmingly reelected.
Fearlessness is best. 195
1808: James Madison's first election
195
CHAPTER III, 1809-1824 EVOLUTIONARY PHASES
1812: Madison's second election 196
The Congressional caucus. 197
Free schools and universal manhood suffrage. 198
Popular choice of Presidential Electors 200
Bank and Tariff acts of 1816 202
President James Monroe, 1817-1825. 203
The party completes its evolution 204
Monroe doctrine; Florida; Missouri Compromise. 205
Election of 1824. 206
CHAPTER IV, 1825-1844 THE JACKSONIAN ERA
John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson 207
Jackson President, 1829-1837. 208
Details of the Missouri Compromise. 208-209
The National Republican-Whig party 209-210
The spoils; the Bank; South Carolina 210-213
Whig issues 213-217
A curious question. 216
1836: Martin Van Buren elected President. 217-218
The Independent Treasury 219
1840: The first defeat. 219
The party and the Bank 220
First National convention, platform, committee. 221-222
Two parties, and two parties only .. 222-223
Jefferson on certain timorous persons. 194
CHAPTER V, 1844-1848
THE MEXICAN WAR AND THE WILMOT PROVISO
Embarrassments of the Whigs 224
Texas and Oregon .. 225-226
1844: James K. Polk elected President. 227
Results of the Mexican War. 227-230
The Proviso against slavery, a Democratic measure 231
1848: The Proviso defeats the Democrats. 233
CHAPTER VI, 1849-1857
THE PARTY OF THE UNION
The California question. 234
Compromise measures of 1850 235
1852: Franklin Pierce elected President. 238
Stephen A. Douglas; Missouri Compromise repeal. 238
Rise of the Republican party; Know-Nothings 240
Kansas 241
If the Missouri Compromise had not been repealed. 242
Sectionalism; responsibility; right and wrong 243-246
1856: James Buchanan elected President. 247-248
Settlement of the west; Gadsden Purchase; Japan. 248
CHAPTER VII, 1857-1860
THE ISSUES AND ELECTION OF 1860
The irreconcilable differences 249
The mistake of the south.
251
The fateful issue. 252
Lincoln's categorical query and the answer. 254
The insufficient exposure of the Republican platform
256
1860: The Democratic rupture. 257
Douglas the leader. 259
The Republicans and their platform 259-262
Expediency the platform keynote of both parties 262
Douglas's noble reply to an inquirer. 263-264
Lincoln elected; analysis of the vote. 264-265
CHAPTER VIII, 1860-1865
THE CIVIL WAR AND ITS OUTCOME
From November to March: President Buchanan. 266-270
Compromise offers-by the Republicans. 271-273
April 12, 1861 274
Concord followed by discord. 275-277
1864: Mcclellan and Pendleton. 278
An accusation and a retort. 278-279
Why the south is Democratic. 279-282
CHAPTER IX, 1865-1883 TRANSITION AND NEW QUESTIONS
The proscription of President Johnson 283-284
1868: Seymour and Blair. 284-285
1872: Greeley and Brown. 285-288
1874: The revolution. 288-289
The Forty-fourth Congress 289
1876: Tilden and Hendricks 290-292
The eight-to-seven award. 292
1880: Hancock and English. 293-295
Tariff and Civil Service. 296-297
CHAPTER X, 1884-1910 CLEVELAND AND AFTER
Democratic principles. 298
Republican Party=Special Interest 299
Election of Cleveland and Hendricks 300-301
301-302
Cleveland's first administration 302-304
1888: Cleveland and Thurman; defeat. 305-306
1892: Cleveland and Stevenson; victory
Cleveland's second administration 307-309
Defeats of 1896, 1900, 1904, and 1908.
309-313
Animadversions; acceptance of results. 313-314
Concerning panics
314
"Simple politics," but not for long. 315
Strenuosity; the Republican party unable to stand it.
315-317
CHAPTER XI, 1912-1920 WILSON
1912: Election of Wilson and Marshall 318-319
President Wilson's policies and achievements. 320-323
1916: Wilson and Marshall reelected. 323-325
The World War. 325-327
The Versailles treaty and the League of Nations 327-332
The League discussed
332-339
The true Wilsonism. 339
CHAPTER XII, 1920
THE COX CAMPAIGN-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND THE FUTURE
Greetings to Wilson the leader 340
His critics; Senator Moses, the Sun; his dignity. 340-341
The League unequivocally endorsed. 341-342
Cox and Roosevelt. 342
The Republicans
342
The Socialists and others. 343
The contest
344-350
The election 350-351
The women 351-352
The future lies with the progressives 353
TAMMANY: A GLANCE AT SOME OF ITS REPRESENTATIVE ACTIVITIES, AND A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF ITS POLITICAL CHARACTER.
INTRODUCTION
A duality; a Society and a political organization 357
Harking back 130 years; still "Democratic-Republican" 358
A question of justice-and fact.
359
A campaign charge analyzed.
360-361
Failures of assailants to make good.
362-363
Mr. Kilroe on Tammany's character. 364
Mr. Gratacap's discriminating estimate. 366
PART I.
ORIGIN AND EARLY PHASES
The legendary Indian chieftain 367
Earliest mentions of the Society.
368-369
From the New York Directory, 1789 370
Liberty poles 371-374
William Mooney, grand sachem 374
Burr and Mooney. 375
How some history is made 376
John Pintard
376
President Washington attends a reception
377
Tammany and the Erie canal 378-379
380
The Prison Ship martyrs
384
Connection with the establishment of free schools. 385
Contribution of military forces in the Civil War.
387
PART II.
ASPECTS OF RECENT HISTORY-SPIRIT AND CHARACTERISTICS The Tweed ring. 389
Some considerations for the thoughtful. 390
John Kelly's work of reform. 391
Richard Croker and his successor.
392
The Van Wyck and Mcclellan campaigns.
393
Leader Murphy's judgment. 394
Remarks by Harper's Weekly 395
Tammany's Fourth of July invitation
396
The annual celebrations.
397
Patriotic readiness
398
Benevolence
398
Tammany and the women
399
The Greater New York.
400-402
Some administrative matters 402-403
Tammany and the reds. 405-409
The slogan, "Freedom is our Rock"
410
Thomas F. Smith on Tammany 410-414
Great service for manhood suffrage
ILLUSTRATIONS
with BIOGRAPHIES
Horace Greeley. Frontispiece
REPUBLICAN
George Washington Aldridge.
72
William Barnes, Jr. 152
William Berri.
136
Edward Hubert Butler.
120
Nicholas Murray Butler
136
Roscoe Conkling.
40
Chauncey Mitchell Depew
24
Jacob Sloat Fassett.
120
Reuben Eaton Fenton
24
Lafayette B. Gleason
168
George Alexander Glynn
168
Francis Hendricks
72
Charles Dewey Hilles.
152
Louis F. Payn
104
Serena Elisha Payne.
104
Thomas Collier Platt.
40
Lemuel Ely Quigg
104
Whitelaw Reid
56
Elihu Root
56
James Schoolcraft Sherman
88
Ray Burdick Smith
168
William Almon Wheeler.
88
William Russell Willcox 152
136
DEMOCRATIC
Thomas Francis Conway 328
Samuel Sullivan Cox
200
Thomas Francis Grady.
296
D-Cady Herrick.
248
David Bennett Hill.
216
Daniel Scott Lamont.
280
Norman Edward Mack
328
Patrick Henry McCarren
264
Hugh Mclaughlin
264
Andrew McLean
216
Daniel Manning
232
Edward Murphy, Jr
280
Morgan J. O'Brien.
312
Charles O'Conor
200
William Church Osborn.
328
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
344
Timothy Lester Woodruff.
William Francis Sheehan
312
John B. Stanchfield. 344
Samuel Jones Tilden. 184
Augustus Van Wyck. 296
Smith Mead Weed 248
William Collins Whitney
232
TAMMANY
Richard Croker 376
Thomas F. Foley
408
Louis F. Haffen. 376
John Ogden Hoffman, 3d. 360
John Kelly
376
Charles Francis Murphy
392
Lewis Nixon.
408
John Pintard.
360
John C. Sheehan.
392
Thomas F. Smith
408
Timothy Daniel Sullivan
408
John R. Voorhis
392
Tammany Hall Views
356
FOREWORD
Millions of our citizens have recently been enfranch- ised. The necessity for their speedy amalagamation into the body politic with a full understanding of the re- sponsibilities involved in the exercise of the elective franchise as contemplated by the founders of our Nation has seemed to me to require the presentation in brief concise form of a history of the two great poli- tical parties, now charged by the people with respon- sibility for the conduct of our national affairs. This is essential if their power is to be exerted in support of established principles of government fundamentally necessary to a continuation of our institutions.
The questions necessarily arising and which must be fairly and satisfactorily answered are: Is it the duty of an elector to affiliate with and actively partici- pate in the management of any political party? If an- swered affirmatively, why one of the two great national parties rather than a minor or independent party or body? If one of the dominant parties, which one and why? How do they differ in principle? What has each stood for and accomplished in the past? What can be reasonably expected of each in the future?
The first two queries are answered briefly in the in- troduction to the Republican article. The answers to the other questions will be found, I trust, after a care- ful perusal of the contents of this volume, supple- mented, if more detailed information is desired, by ref- erence to the respective party platforms contained in the volume dealing with "National Parties and their Platforms."
The article on the Republican party was published in advance as a separate booklet in substantially its present form and circulated to some extent during the campaign of 1920. With the Republican article before him, the Democratic article was written by Walter W. Spooner. A member of the well known Spooner family, a thorough student and careful writer, an in- tense and devoted Democrat, just and impartial in his estimate and treatment of those who differed with him, he regarded the preparation of this article as a duty he owed his party and the public. It was completed shortly before his death and was a fitting conclusion to a life devoted to literary and educational work.
A history of the Democratic party, state or national, would be far from complete without some special ac- count of the Tammany Society of New York. Organ- ized for patriotic and benevolent purposes, the Society soon became an influential factor in political affairs. Its position is unique in the history of our country as the one intra-party organization that for more than a century and a quarter has exerted at all times a power- ful influence in shaping the policies of the party with which it was affiliated, and as such has been an impor- tant factor in political and governmental affairs. Willis Holly has briefly sketched its activities in a manner that will attract the interest of even those who have been taught to regard its influence with suspicion and distrust.
These articles have been written by men devoted to the principles of their respective party organizations. The purpose sought is clear. Their influence should prove helpful in obtaining a clearer vision and under- standing of our government. R. B. S.
INTRODUCTION
T HIS is a history, in brief, of the national Republican party. It is not a political treatise or special plea. It aims to present a concise, coherent narrative of events and achievements, with only such explanation and comment as may be neces- sary to make the relation of cause and effect clear to the reader's mind and thus to indicate what the Repub- lican party has stood for in the life of the American nation, what it stands for to-day, and what it prom- ises for the future.
Politics is the science of government. Nicholas Murray Butler has well said: "Politics is not office- seeking; politics is not the use of devious arts of the demagogue or the self-seeker to secure power over men. Politics is one of the noblest and finest words in our language. It is nothing but the doctrine of how to live together happily and helpfully in organized society. In an autocracy, whether imperialist or socialist, there will be no need for politics. In an autoc- racy our politics will be made for us by some one else. In a democratic republic we make our own politics. In a republic every good citizen is or should be an active politician, because free government will not take care of itself. American institutions will not preserve them- selves. They need the care, they need the devotion, they need the protection of thoughtful, high-minded,
17
18
POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
and patriotic men and women who are deeply interested in politics and deeply concerned about politics."
American government is a government by political parties. It was so intended at the foundation of our constitutional system. The very genius of our institu- tions requires that there shall be two great parties, one to exercise the authority and bear the responsibility of conducting the actual government, the other to serve as check and critic, not obstructive but constructive, the two alternating in power as their respective policies and theories of legislation and administration may from time to time best serve the varying needs of the nation. It is in this way that the best results of constructive statesmanship have hitherto been attained and the greatest progress made in the science of government.
This system was gradually developed from the time of the Revolution until in 1832 it assumed its present form, with popular nominating conventions for elective officers and with party platforms, or declarations of principles and programs of action, announcing to the electorate the issues to be determined and the policies purposed to be pursued. This system of representa- tive and responsible party government has become firmly established as fundamental to the American republic. It is true that our history teems with the records of "independent," "third party," or other like movements, some of which for a brief space have had more or less spectacular careers. But the great lesson which their record teaches is their general futility, if not at times actual mischief.
It is a literal fact that not one such party has ever
19
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
succeeded either in perpetuating itself or in justifying its existence by accomplishing its aims. Thus the Abolition party arose in 1840, but exercised no domi- nant influence in a single State. In 1844, however, it did draw enough votes away from Henry Clay to defeat him and to elect James K. Polk, thus actually injuring the cause that it professed to serve. It was left not for that or any like organization but for the Republican party finally to abolish slavery. So the "Anti-Masonic," the "Know-Nothing," the "Constitutional Union," and other parties before the Civil War ran their little courses, caused some agitation, often mere irritation, and at all times more evil than good. They disappeared without a single enduring and beneficent achievement to their credit. In like manner there have been many similar organizations or so-called parties since the Civil War, such as Greenback, Liberal, Silver, Populist, Socialist, Socialist Labor, and Prohibition. Not one of them has ever even approximated control of the gov- ernment. Not one has ever achieved its purpose. One of the most notable and most recent examples has been that of the Prohibition party, which has existed for many years but which at the end entered into a decline and saw the very work that it had vainly striven to do performed by the two great parties against which it had indiscriminately waged its futile warfare.
With this instructive record of minor party ineffi- ciency and failure before them, American citizens would be blind indeed if they did not perceive the path of duty. That duty is to choose intelligently and on principle between the two great parties which alone are
20
POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
capable of patriotic efficiency; to affiliate themselves loyally with the party of their deliberate choice; and to participate actively in its management and conduct. It is generally recognized to be the duty of every Ameri- can citizen to vote at elections. Similarly it is the duty of every one to participate in the primary elections of his or her party. If citizens of the republic were gen- erally to abstain from voting we should expect the affairs of the country to be neglected and abused. So if members of a party abstain from interesting themselves in its direction it is bound to suffer abuse. It is from such neglect on the part of citizens that the evils of party management have arisen.
No rational and loyal American citizen thinks of asserting his "independence" of the republic or of setting up a rival government. Even if he wishes to have changes and reforms made in the government, he seeks to make them "from the inside." Since, then, it is the established principle of the nation that its gov- ernment shall be conducted through the agency of two major parties, it becomes scarcely less incumbent upon citizens to recognize those parties, to exercise their political activities in them and through them, and, if ever they desire changes in them, to make them "from the inside." To assert independence of all party affilia- tion and to support only such party candidates and measures as may occasionally appeal to us would be only a little less illogical and reprehensible than to withhold complete allegiance to the government itself and to support it only when it particularly pleases us to do so.
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