Chapter 46

[82]Ibid., Oct. 9.

[83]Ibid., Oct. 24.

[84]New YorkHerald, Oct. 9, 1862.

[85]Ibid., Sept. 26.

[86]Ibid., Oct. 1.

[87]New YorkHerald, October 8 and 9, 1862.

[88]Lincoln's Works, Vol. 2, p. 239.

[89]Benjamin E. Curtis,Pamphlet on Executive Power.

[90]New YorkHerald, October 4, 1862.

[91]Ibid., October 24.

[92]New YorkTribune, October 28, 1862.

[93]Ibid., October 30.

[94]New YorkHerald, October 29, 1862.

[95]Ibid., October 15 and 17.

[96]Morgan Dix,Memoirs of John A. Dix, Vol. 2, pp. 51-52.

[97]New YorkTribune, October 17, 1862. See other views: New YorkHerald, October 17, 18, 19.

[98]Henry B. Stanton,Random Recollections, p. 216.

[99]New YorkTribune, October 31, 1862.

[100]New YorkHerald, October 17, 1862.

[101]New YorkTribune, Nov. 6.

[102]"Seymour, 307,063; Wadsworth, 296,492."—Ibid., November 24.

[103]New YorkTimes, November 7.

[104]Henry B. Stanton,Random Recollections, p. 216.

[105]AlbanyEvening Journal, Nov. 6.

[106]New YorkTribune, Nov. 5.

[107]Cary,Life of Curtis, p. 161.

[108]Ibid., p. 161.

[109]Laws of 1842. Ch. 130, title 6, article 4, sec. 32.

[110]Horace Bemis of Steuben.

[111]The writer is indebted to Mr. Depew for the interviews between himself, Van Buren, and Callicot.

[112]AlbanyEvening Journal, December 10, 1862.

[113]Sedgwick, assailed by damaging charges growing out of his chairmanship of the Naval Committee, failed to be renominated for Congress in 1864 after a most bitter contest in which 130 ballots were taken.

[114]New YorkJournal of Commerce, February 3, 1863."Informal ballot: Morgan, 25; King, 16; Dickinson, 15; Sedgwick, 11; Field, 7; Raymond, 6; Hunt, 4; Selden, 1; blank, 1. Whole number, 86. Necessary to a choice, 44."First formal ballot: Morgan, 39; King, 16; Dickinson, 11; Raymond, 8; Sedgwick, 7; Field, 5."Second formal ballot: Morgan, 50; Dickinson, 13; King, 11; Raymond, 9; Field, 2; Sedgwick, 1."—Ibid., February 3.

[114]New YorkJournal of Commerce, February 3, 1863.

"Informal ballot: Morgan, 25; King, 16; Dickinson, 15; Sedgwick, 11; Field, 7; Raymond, 6; Hunt, 4; Selden, 1; blank, 1. Whole number, 86. Necessary to a choice, 44.

"First formal ballot: Morgan, 39; King, 16; Dickinson, 11; Raymond, 8; Sedgwick, 7; Field, 5.

"Second formal ballot: Morgan, 50; Dickinson, 13; King, 11; Raymond, 9; Field, 2; Sedgwick, 1."—Ibid., February 3.

[115]New YorkTribune, October 7, 1863.The Democratic caucus stood 28 for Erastus Corning, 25 for Fernando Wood, and scattering 18.The vote of the Senate stood: Morgan, 23; Erastus Corning, 7; 2 absent or silent. On the first ballot the Assembly gave Morgan 64, Corning 62, Fernando Wood 1, John A. Dix 1 (cast by Speaker Callicot). On a second ballot all the Unionists voted with Callicot for Dix, giving him 65 to 63 for Corning and placing him in nomination. In joint convention Morgan was elected by 86 votes to 70 for Corning, one (Callicot's) for Dix, and 1 for Dickinson.—Ibid., February 4.

[115]New YorkTribune, October 7, 1863.

The Democratic caucus stood 28 for Erastus Corning, 25 for Fernando Wood, and scattering 18.

The vote of the Senate stood: Morgan, 23; Erastus Corning, 7; 2 absent or silent. On the first ballot the Assembly gave Morgan 64, Corning 62, Fernando Wood 1, John A. Dix 1 (cast by Speaker Callicot). On a second ballot all the Unionists voted with Callicot for Dix, giving him 65 to 63 for Corning and placing him in nomination. In joint convention Morgan was elected by 86 votes to 70 for Corning, one (Callicot's) for Dix, and 1 for Dickinson.—Ibid., February 4.

[116]"My dear Weed: It is difficult for me to express my personal obligations to you for this renewed evidence of your friendship, as manifested by the result of yesterday's proceedings at Albany."—Letter of Edwin D. Morgan, February 3, 1863. Thurlow Weed Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 430.

[117]AlbanyEvening Journal, January 28, 1863.

[118]New YorkTribune, January 30, 1863.

[119]Thurlow Weed Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 485.

[120]AlbanyEvening Journal, January 28, 1863.

[121]"Let it pass whether or not the editor of theTribunehas been intensely ambitious for office. It would have been a blessed thing for the country if the editor of theJournalhad been impelled by the same passion. For avarice is more ignoble than ambition, and the craving for jobs has a more corrupting influence, alike on the individual and the public, than aspiration to office."—New YorkTribune, December 12, 1862.

[122]Thurlow Weed,Autobiography, pp. 360-361.

[123]George S. Boutwell,Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 2, p. 207.

[124]This opprobrious epithet first appeared in the New YorkTribuneof January 12, 1863, and in theTimesof February 13.

[125]The Union League Club of New York was organized February 6, 1863; its club house, No. 26 E. 17th St., was opened May 12.

[126]F.W. Seward,Life of W.H. Seward, Vol. 3, p. 159.

[127]Horatio Seymour,Public Record, pp. 85-105.

[128]T.W. Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 428.

[129]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 7, pp. 10, 11.

[130]New YorkTimes, August 18, 1879.

[131]"Governor Seymour was a patriotic man, after his fashion, but his hatred of the Lincoln Administration was evidently deep; and it was also clear that he did not believe that the war for the Union could be brought to a successful termination."—Andrew D. White,Autobiography, Vol. 1, p. 105.

[132]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 7, p. 11.

[133]Horatio Seymour,Public Record, p. 109.

[134]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 7, p. 12.

[135]Appleton'sCyclopædia, 1863, p. 689.

[136]Appleton'sCyclopædia, 1863, pp. 800-802. Lincoln,Complete Works, Vol. 2, p. 347.

[137]4 Wallace, p. 125.

[138]Couch's report,Official Records, Vol. 27, Part 2, 214.

[139]Horatio Seymour,Public Record, pp. 118-124.Ten days later, in the midst of riot and bloodshed, theWorldsaid: "Will the insensate men at Washington now give ear to our warnings? Will they now believe that defiance of law in the rulers breeds defiance of law in the people? Does the doctrine that in war laws are silent, please them when put in practice in the streets of New York?"—New YorkWorld, July 14, 1863.

[139]Horatio Seymour,Public Record, pp. 118-124.

Ten days later, in the midst of riot and bloodshed, theWorldsaid: "Will the insensate men at Washington now give ear to our warnings? Will they now believe that defiance of law in the rulers breeds defiance of law in the people? Does the doctrine that in war laws are silent, please them when put in practice in the streets of New York?"—New YorkWorld, July 14, 1863.

[140]New YorkTribune, July 15, 1863.

[141]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 7, p. 26.

[142]Ibid., p. 23.

[143]James B. Fry,New York and the Conscription, p. 33.

[144]New YorkTribune,Herald,Times, andWorld, July 15; also,Public Record of Horatio Seymour, pp. 127-128.

[145]New YorkTribune,Herald, andTimes.

[146]James B. Fry,New York and the Conscription, p. 14. "Seymour showed his lack of executive ability by not filling up the quota of New York by volunteers in less than a month after the Conscription Act was passed. This a clever executive could easily have done and so avoided all trouble."—New YorkHerald, September 11, 1863.

[147]James B. Fry,New York and the Conscription, p. 32.

[148]The Public Record of Horatio Seymour, p. 153.

[149]The constitutionality of the Conscription Act of March 3, 1863, was affirmed by the United States Circuit Courts of Pennsylvania and Illinois.

[150]The Public Record of Horatio Seymour, p. 156.

[151]Wakeman was postmaster at New York City.

[152]"Porter received 213 votes to 140 for Depew, who made a remarkable run under the circumstances."—New YorkHerald, September 3, 1863."Greeley sent for me some weeks before the convention and pressed me with such vigour to take a position upon the State ticket that I finally consented. He then secured from practically the whole State an endorsement of the suggestion on my behalf. On the morning of the convention he suddenly decided that some one connected with the army must be chosen and sent around an order for a change of programme just before the roll was called. It was the most fortunate thing that could have happened to me, but created widespread distrust of his qualities as a leader."—Speech of Chauncey M. Depew, April 4, 1902.Addresses of, November, 1896, to April, 1902, pp. 238-239.

[152]"Porter received 213 votes to 140 for Depew, who made a remarkable run under the circumstances."—New YorkHerald, September 3, 1863.

"Greeley sent for me some weeks before the convention and pressed me with such vigour to take a position upon the State ticket that I finally consented. He then secured from practically the whole State an endorsement of the suggestion on my behalf. On the morning of the convention he suddenly decided that some one connected with the army must be chosen and sent around an order for a change of programme just before the roll was called. It was the most fortunate thing that could have happened to me, but created widespread distrust of his qualities as a leader."—Speech of Chauncey M. Depew, April 4, 1902.Addresses of, November, 1896, to April, 1902, pp. 238-239.

[153]"So far as politics were concerned, Greeley's affections seemed to be lavished on politicians who flattered and coddled him. Of this the rise of Governor Fenton was a striking example."—Andrew D. White,Autobiography, Vol. 1, p. 160.

[154]The State ticket was as follows: Secretary of state, Chauncey M. Depew of Westchester; Comptroller, Lucius Robinson of Chemung; Canal Commissioner, Benjamin F. Bruce of Madison; Treasurer, George W. Schuyler of Tompkins; State Engineer, William B. Taylor of Oneida; Prison Inspector, James K. Bates of Jefferson; Judge of Appeals, Henry S. Selden of Monroe; Attorney-General, John Cochrane of New York.

[155]New YorkHerald, September 3, 1863.

[156]The Constitutional Union convention, meeting at Albany on September 8, named candidates for attorney-general and prison inspector, with the request that the Democratic convention endorse them; otherwise it would put a full ticket into the field. Among its State Committee appeared the names of former governor Washington Hunt and Lorenzo Burrows. It resolved to resist all departures from the strict letter of the Constitution, whether based upon military necessity or a usurpation of doubtful powers."We tender the Democratic State convention our hearty thanks for their contemptuous treatment of Jim Brooks & Co.'s one-horse concern, consisting of fifteen or twenty officers and three or four privates. That concern is thoroughly bogus—a barefaced imposture which should be squelched and its annual nuisance abated."—New YorkTribune, September 11, 1863.

"We tender the Democratic State convention our hearty thanks for their contemptuous treatment of Jim Brooks & Co.'s one-horse concern, consisting of fifteen or twenty officers and three or four privates. That concern is thoroughly bogus—a barefaced imposture which should be squelched and its annual nuisance abated."—New YorkTribune, September 11, 1863.

[157]"Governor Seymour can talk more without saying anything, and write more without meaning anything, than any other man we know.... We consider Seymour not much of a man, and no Governor at all."—New YorkHerald(editorial), September 11, 1863.

[158]Ibid., September 10.

[159]The ticket was made up as follows: Secretary of state, David B. St. John of Otsego; Comptroller, Sanford E. Church of Orleans; Attorney-General, Marshall B. Champlain of Allegany; State Engineer, Van R. Richmond of Wayne; Treasurer, William B. Lewis of Kings; Canal Commissioner, William W. Wright, of Ontario; Inspector of Prisons, David B. McNeil of Clinton; Judge of Appeals, William F. Allen, of Oswego.—Ibid.

[160]Ibid., September 26.

[161]New YorkTribune, October 9.

[162]New YorkTribune, October 1, 1863.

[163]Seymour spoke at Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, and New York City, on October 26, 28, 29, and 31 respectively.

[164]Record of Horatio Seymour, pp. 168-176.

[165]New YorkTribune, November 2, 1863.

[166]New YorkHerald, November 6, 1863.

[167]"Depew received 29,405 votes more than St. John for secretary of state."Ibid., December 5, 1863.

[168]Delivered November 3, 1863. New YorkHerald, November 6.

[169]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 6, p. 266. Senators Sumner of Massachusetts, Trumbull of Illinois, Grimes of Iowa, and Pomeroy of Kansas, voted Yes; Collamer of Vermont, Fessenden of Maine, and Howard of Michigan declined to vote. Wade of Ohio was absent.

[170]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 6, p. 268.

[171]Seward,Life of W.H. Seward, Vol. 3, p. 197.

[172]Ibid., p. 196.

[173]T.W. Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 434.

[174]Maunsell B. Field,Memories of Many Men, p. 304.

[175]Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 440.

[176]Ibid., p. 437.

[177]T.W. Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, pp. 437-439.

[178]New YorkHerald, May 24, 1864.

[179]Ibid., February 7.

[180]It was called to meet on June 7.

[181]Appleton'sCyclopædia, 1864, p. 785.

[182]New YorkTribune, April 25, 1864.

[183]New YorkIndependent, February 25, 1864.

[184]New YorkTribune, February 23, 1864.

[185]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 7, p. 389.

[186]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 9, p. 20.

[187]Appleton'sCyclopædia, 1864, p. 786.

[188]New YorkTribune, May 10, 1864.

[189]New YorkHerald, May 29.

[190]"Greeley received an almost unanimous call to lead the party in the State and the first convention which he attended (1862) bowed absolutely to his will. He thought he was a great political leader, and he might have been if he had ever been sure of himself; but he was one of the poorest judges of men, and in that way was often deceived, often misled, and often led to change his opinions.... In less than two years his power was gone."—From speech of Chauncey M. Depew, April 4, 1902.Addresses of, November, 1896, to April, 1902, pp. 238-239.

[191]Cochrane's speech at Cleveland. McPherson'sHistory of the Rebellion, p. 411.

[192]Ibid., p. 413.

[193]Ibid., p. 412.

[194]A singular mistake of the convention was its nomination, contrary to the requirement of the Constitution, of both candidates from the same State.

[195]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 9, p. 40.

[196]T.W. Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 443.

[197]See New YorkHerald, April 25, 27, May 7, 9, 14, 16, 18, 23, 26, 28, 29, 31, June 1, 4; New YorkTribune, May 10, 12, 13, 14; New YorkTimes, May 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19; New YorkWorld, May 2, 11, 12, 13, 14.

[198]Edward McPherson,History of the Rebellion, pp. 406-407.

[199]Ibid., p. 407.

[200]Johnson received 200 votes to 108 for Dickinson. After recording all changes, the ballot stood: Johnson, 494; Dickinson, 17; Hamlin, 9. McPherson,Hist. of the Rebellion, p. 407.

[201]Alex. K. McClure,Lincoln and Men of War Times, p. 444.

[202]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 9, pp. 72-73.

[203]Alex. K. McClure,Lincoln and Men of War Times, pp. 425-449.

[204]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 9, p. 93.

[205]Ibid., pp. 93-94.

[206]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 9, p. 95.

[207]"Simeon Draper was impulsive and demonstrative. With the advantages of a fine person, good conversational powers, and ready wit, his genial presence and cheerful voice imparted life and spirit to the numerous social circles in which he was ever a welcome guest."Weed's Reminiscences, T.W. Barnes,Life of Thurlow Weed, Vol. 2, p. 483.

[208]Except certain ones specifically exempted.

[209]Lincoln,Complete Works, Vol. 2, p. 443.

[210]Public Record of Horatio Seymour, pp. 198-212.

[211]Horace Greeley,History of the Rebellion, Vol. 2, p. 667.

[212]Motley'sLetters, Vol. 2, p. 168.

[213]Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 9, p. 186.

[214]Ibid., pp. 187-188.

[215]J.R. Gilmore (Kirke),Down in Tennessee, pp. 272-280.

[216]"To whom it may concern: Any proposition which embraces the restoration of peace, the integrity of the whole Union, and the abandonment of slavery, and which comes by and with an authority that can control the armies now at war against the United States will be received and considered by the executive government of the United States and will be met by liberal terms on other substantial and collateral points, and the bearer or bearers thereof shall have safe conduct both ways. Abraham Lincoln."—Horace Greeley,The American Conflict, Vol. 2, p. 665; Appleton'sCyclopædia, 1864, p. 780; Nicolay-Hay,Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 9, p. 192.

[217]"The undersigned, citizens of the State of New York and unconditional supporters of the national government, convinced that a union of all loyal citizens of the United States upon the basis of a common patriotism is essential to the safety and honour of the country in this crisis of its affairs; that the present distraction and apathy which depress the friends of the Union threaten to throw the Government into the hands of its enemies; and that a convention of the people should be assembled to consider the state of the nation and to concentrate the union strength on some one candidate, who commands the confidence of the country, even by a new nomination if necessary; do therefore invite their fellow citizens ... to send delegates ... to a convention at Cincinnati on Wednesday, September 28, for friendly consultation, with the purpose above stated."—New YorkSun, June 30, 1889.

[218]Under date of Aug. 18, 1864, Greeley wrote Opdyke: "I must go out of town to-morrow and cannot attend the meeting at your house. Allow me to say a word. Mr. Lincoln is already beaten. He cannot be elected. We must have another ticket to save us from utter overthrow. And such a ticket we ought to have anyhow, with or without a convention."—Ibid.On August 26, Dickinson declared that "the cry for a change, whether wise or ill founded, should be both heard and heeded."—Ibid.On August 29, Lucius Robinson regretted "that it will be impossible for me to be present at the meeting at Mr. Field's to-morrow evening.... McClellan will be the next President unless Lincoln is at once withdrawn."—Ibid.

On August 26, Dickinson declared that "the cry for a change, whether wise or ill founded, should be both heard and heeded."—Ibid.

On August 29, Lucius Robinson regretted "that it will be impossible for me to be present at the meeting at Mr. Field's to-morrow evening.... McClellan will be the next President unless Lincoln is at once withdrawn."—Ibid.

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