Political history of New York state during the period of the civil war ...

Preface

Within the past dozen years or so, there has been a growing recognition that the political history of some of our states is worthy of investigation. That this is true of New York especially has been frequently observed. Until a very recent date, the only political history of this State deserving the name was Hammond's; and that carried the narrative only to 1848. Since then, Alexander's three-volume work has been published. My study was begun before the announcement of Alexander's first two volumes was made in 1906, and it was nearly finished when his third volume (which deals with the greater part of the period here covered) appeared in 1909. I have made little or no use of Alexander. A comparison of my attempt with his work will show how differently we have conceived the field. In the treatment of topics which belong to the general history of the country or the history of the national political parties, the aim here has been to omit so far as possible whatever did not relate immediately to New York State or its action; in other words, to avoid repeating what may be found in other books, such as Rhodes' History of the United States.

The most interesting and piquant details of the politics of the time, I am not able to give. Until more memoirs relating to the subject are published or correspondence of the leaders revealed, occurrences such as those which took place in Thurlow Weed's room at the Astor House * must remain unknown. Thus far, there is a paucity of material dealing

6 PREFACE [ 20 6

with this phase of New York's history, outside of the newspapers. It is largely upon these sources of information, rather looked down upon though perhaps not with good reason, as Mr. James Ford Rhodes has pointed out, 1 that one must rely. I trust that by basing many of the statements made upon at least two sources of different political faith or of a different nature, some of the pitfalls attending the use of newspapers as material for history have been avoided. Of course, where a document is printed in full in a paper or book, this double reference has not been made. Care has been taken, by a comparison of wording, not to cite Associated Press dispatches from more than one paper. The Herald references frequently include both material furnished by the Associated Press and by the Herald's own special correspondent. The press of that day was not the same as now. More attention was given to politics ; legislative proceedings were reported in detail, as were those of conventions and committees ; and important letters bearing upon politics were often published. From the newspapers, one can at least learn the outward doings in the political field of that time.

I wish to express my gratitude to Professors William A. Dunning and Herbert L. Osgood for reading the manuscript and proofs. I am especially indebted to Professor Dunning. He suggested the subject and encouraged me while working it out, and to his assistance must be attributed very many corrections and improvements.

Sidney D. Brummer.

New York, March i, 1910.

1 Rhodes' Historical Essays, p. 83 et seq.

Chapter I Pagb

The Political Situation in New York State in i860

Character of New York politics during the war period 17

Factions within the Republican party 17

Thurlow Weed 19

How far was Weed corrupt ? 22

The Democratic factions. The Albany Regency 24

Tammany Hall 26

Mozart Hall 27

Wood's up-State allies 29

Fragments of decomposed parties 31

The offices in i860 . 32

Character of the state government . ■•.... 33

The rings in New York City 35

Political rottenness in New York City, 1860-1865 36

The slavery issue in the Legislature of i860 39

The New York City railroad bills 40

Proposed legislation against the New York Central Railroad ... 42 The metropolitan police bill and the proposed charter amendments

for New York City .... 46

CHAPTER II New York and the Presidential Nominations of i860 The Wood delegation to Charleston 48

The Regency delegation 49

The Regency wins the first stages of the contest 52

The Regency delegation seated .... 53

Action of the New York delegation in the Charleston convention. 54

New York at Baltimore 56

New York's part in the nominations of Bell and Everett 60

Seward the choice of the Republicans of New York 62

Greeley's activity at Chicago 63

Bitter controversy among New York Republicans 64

Nevertheless, New York supports Lincoln heartily 67

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CHAPTER III The Campaign of i860 in New York Prospects of a fusion electoral ticket 70

Fernando Wood, Mozart Hall, and other prominent Democrats

for fusion 71

Attitude of the Bell-Everett men 73

Obstacles to the formation of a fusion 73

The Constitutional Union State Convention of i860 75

The Breckinridge Democratic State Convention 76

The Douglas Democratic State Convention • . . . 78

Controversy over the Bell-Everett electoral candidates 80

Attempt of the Democratic State Committees to arrange a fusion . 81

Fusion finally consummated 83

Democratic prospects of success weakened by the long and embittered negotiations 86

The Republican State Convention of i860 86

Weakness of the fusion 88

The issues of the campaign in New York State ...» 90

Part played by the commercial interests of New York City .... 91 Notable array of speakers and numerous meetings of the Republicans 93

The Wide Awakes and the Little Giants 94

Disadvantages of the Democrats 95

The former American vote 96

Attempt to frighten Lincoln supporters by a commercial panic . . 96 Results of the election. Defeat of the proposed amendment to the

state constitution 97

Chapter IV

New York Politics at the Eve of the War The crisis of December, i860: measures advocated by Greeley and

Weed respectively 99

The majority of New York Republicans opposed to Weed's proposed compromise . . 101

Attitude of the Democrats: fhe Pine Street meeting 101

The Legislature of 1861 : contest in the Republican caucus ... 102

Differences in the Republican ranks 104

Robinson's resolutions concerning the territories 105

Attitude of the Democrats in the Legislature during the early

months of 1861 105

Resolutions reported from committee in the Assembly and in the

Senate 107

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A Republican caucus votes down compromise 109

The compromisers defeated in the Assembly 109

The question of the appointment of commissioners to the Peace

Conference at Washington . no

Call for a Democratic state convention to save the Union .... 112

Prominent members of the convention 114

Contest between Tammany and Mozart 116

Seymour's speech 117

Speeches of Tremain, Thayer, and Tilden 119

The resolutions adopted and the committees appointed 121

Ineffectiveness of the convention 123

Utterances of New York Democratic extremists: Mayor Wood,

the Albany Argus, and Daniel E. Sickles . 123

The great " Union-saving " meeting at Cooper Institute 126

Wood and the Georgia muskets 126

Rivalry between the Greeley and Weed factions 127

Their contest in Washington over the cabinet 128

The Greeley-Evarts senatorial contest 130

Election of Ira Harris 134

The two factions battle for the control of the federal patronage in

New York 136

Democratic opposition in February to a bill appropriating money

for equipping the militia 139

Tremendous change caused by the attack on Fort Sumter: action

of the Legislature; attitude of the Democratic legislators .... 140

Patriotic meetings throughout the State 143

The monster meeting in New York City 144

Patriotic stand of many Democrats 147

Evidence that some Democrats were swept along unwillingly by

the revolution in public sentiment 148

CHAPTER V The Genesis of the Union Party in New York

Early appearance of a partisan revival in this State 151

Activity of the peace press 152

The Democratic state organization refuses to accept the Republican

invitation to unite on a Union ticket 154

Importance of the action of the Democratic organization on this

occasion 155

Resolutions of the Democratic State Committee 156

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The necessity of subordinating politics to the interests of the country admitted by all parties in New York, but rejected in practice

by the Democratic state organization 157

The Democratic State Convention of 1861 158

Contest between Tammany and Mozart 160

The platform a victory for the advocates of peace 162

The ninth resolution a great handicap to the Democrats 164

The People's State Convention 165

The Republican State Convention unites with the People's Convention in support of a Union ticket ... . 169

The Union platform 169

Partial fusion of Republicans and War Democrats on local and

legislative nominations .... 170

Mozart ratifies the Union state ticket; Tammany repudiates a part

of the Democratic state platform 171

Nevertheless, Mozart and Tammany amicably divide the local

spoils: triumph of the ring . . 173

Result of the election 175

The New York City charter election of December, 1861 . . . 175

CHAPTER VI The Legislative Session of 1862

A lull in New York politics during the early part of 1862 179

The Legislature of 1862: composition and leaders 180

Caucus contest for the speakership 181

Weakness of the Democratic minority . 184

Subjects of the few partisan divisions which did occur . . . 185

Notable absence of party spirit in the Legislature of 1862 186

The session develops, however, important personal rivalries in

the ranks of the majority 187

The question of taxation 187

The bill for harbor defence 189

Struggle between the New York City factions transferred to the

Legislature 190

Nevertheless, the threatened, rupture in the ranks of the majority

fails to develop 191

Attitude of the Seward-Weed faction toward a renewal of the fusion. 191

Calling of a Union legislative caucus 194

Action of the caucus 194

The Union legislative address and resolutions 197

Importance of the action of New York on this occasion . . . . 200

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CHAPTER VII The Revival of Party Politics Influences at work in New York to produce a revival of party

politics 201

Temporary eclipse of Weed; his trip to Europe 201

Return of Weed; the effect of his reentrance into New York politics. 202

Revival of rumors of a conservative alliance 203

Influence of the progress of the Republican party toward abolition. 204

New York City as a center of abolition agitation 205

Activity of anti-abolitionists in New York City 206

Influence of the reverses met with by the Federal armies during

the summer of 1862 208

Union war meetings 208

The proposed state draft 209

Attitude of the former Bell-Everett men and of the Democrats

toward a Union ticket 210

The Constitutional Union State Convention of 1862 ..... 212

The Democratic State Convention of 1862 213

Nomination of Seymour. His speech 215

The platform 217

Strength of the ticket 217

The Republican-Union Convention of 1862 218

Wadsworth favored by the radicals ... 218

Weed supports Dix and a conservative platform 220

Morgan, Fenton, and Cook 221

Tremain's speech 222

Speeches of Johnson, Raymond, and Noyes 224

A victory for the radical wing 224

CHAPTER VIII Justification of a detailed account of the campaign in New York

State in 1862 227

The importance of the election in New York to the country as a

whole emphasized by both parties 227

The Democrats accused of disloyalty . . 228

The past utterances of Seymour and other New York Democratic

leaders used against their party 230

Charge that Seymour if elected governor would not cooperate with

the national administration in carrying on the war 232

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The necessity of laying aside party as an issue of the campaign . . 233

Seymour denies the charges of disloyalty 235

The Democrats accuse their adversaries of being the real enemies

of the national administration 236

Bitterness of the canvass 237

Abolition as an issue in New York 238

Arbitrary proceedings of the national administration as an issue . 240

Corruption and inefficiency at Washington as issues 242

Answer of the Republican-Unionists to the charges of corruption

and inefficiency on the part of the national administration . . . 243

Weakness of the Democratic attacks on the failures to end the war. 244

Wadsworth's relations to McClellan 245

Other issues 247

Notable speakers during the campaign 247

Importance of the contests for congress and for the state legislature. 247

Effect of the state enrolment on the election 248

Result of the election 249

Examination of the causes of Wadsworth's defeat 249

Effect of the Democratic victory . 254

CHAPTER IX The Partisan Revival in the Legislature Seymour's opportunity as governor in 1863 255

His inaugural speech 257

His annual message of 1863 258

Attempt to remove the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police. 261

The tie in the Assembly . 264

Exciting and disorderly contest for the speakership 265

Election of Callicot 269

Democratic charge of a corrupt bargain leads to a renewal of partisan battles over Callicot . . . 270

The election of a United States senator. Result of the Union

caucus 271

The Democratic nomination 273

Morgan's election a victory for the conservative wing of the

Union party . . . 273

Partisan debates in the Legislature of 1863 274

Debates on the McClellan resolutions 275

Debates on the administration's emancipation policy 276

The question of the payment of the interest on the state debt in

specie or greenbacks . 277

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PAGK

The bill authorizing state banks to become national banks .... 277

The bill to permit those in the federal military service to vote . . . 278

Seymour's special message . . 280

Passage of the bill by the two houses, and its veto by the Governor. 282 Comparative weakness of the peace faction among the Democratic

legislators of New York 283

The Democratic legislative address • . 285

Criticism of the address 287

The Union legislative address . 288

CHAPTER X Movements within the Unionist Ranks

The Weed faction and the Democrats 290

Retirement of Weed from the Albany Evening Journal 291

Warfare between Weed and his radical adversaries 292

John Van Buren and James T. Brady 295

Organization of the Loyal Union League 295

The Loyal National League 297

The Madison Square demonstration 298

Political significance of the loyal league movement 300

State conventions of the loyal leagues . 301

CHAPTER XI Copperheadism in New York

Attitude of the Democrats of New York toward conscription . . • 303

Mozart Hall and Fernando Wood declare against the act . ... 304

Wood's mass meeting favors peace and opposes conscription . . 306

Indignation of New York Democrats at the Vallandigham arrest 308

Vallandigham meetings of protest at Albany, Buffalo, and Brooklyn. 309

The New York City meeting 311

Divisions in the New York Democracy on the question of supporting the prosecution of the war 315

Wood's mass state convention for peace and reunion 316

CHAPTER XII The draft riot 320

Governor Seymour's actions and measures on this occasion . . . 321

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CONTENTS

Warm controversy among the metropolitan newspapers over the

riot 323

The draft in the rest of the State . . -?"-?

The question of whether the draft would be enforced in New Yo ..

City 324

Action of Democratic common councils and boards of supervisors. 325

Seymour's correspondence with Lincoln about the draft ... . 327

Criticism of Seymour's letters 329

Correspondence between Dix and Seymour 335

Seymour's proclamation of August 18th 336

The Union State Convention of 1863 337

The platform 338

The new Union State Committee 339

The Democratic State Convention of 1863 340

Seymour's address to the convention 340

The resolutions and nominations 342

Issues of the campaign -44

General substitution of the designation " Union " for the old party

name "Republican" 348

Prominent speakers during the campaign 349

Factors effecting the result 350

Furloughs for the soldiers 351

Result of the election 352

The Tammany and Mozart machines defeated in the New York

City charter election 353

CHAPTER XIII The Legislative Session of 1864

Governor Seymour's annual message of 1864 355

Criticism of the message 358

Seymour's position compared with that of the Woods 359

Character and composition of the Legislature of 1864 359

Constitutional amendment and law to enable soldiers to vote . . . 360

Party debates over the appropriation for the militia 361

Question of legalizing bounty debts 362

National versus state banks 363

Interest on the state debt 366

The metropolitan police commission bill 368

Resolution in favor of an amendment to the federal constitution

prohibiting slavery 368

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CHAPTER XIV New York and the Presidential Nominations of 1864

mocratic State Convention of February, 1864, to elect

delegates to the national convention 371

Proposed address and declaration of principles of Tammany Hall . 373 Action of the Unionists of New York on the question of endorsing

Lincoln for a renomination 374

Activity of those opposed to Lincoln 376

New York at the Cleveland convention 378

The Union State Convention of May, 1864, to elect delegates to

the national convention 379

The State Committee of War Democrats 380

New York's part in the National Union Convention at Baltimore. 381

Controversy among New York Unionists after the convention . 384

Weed's relations with Lincoln 389

The, United States assistant treasurership at New York City . . . 392

We a's joy at Chase's resignation 393

The New York custom-house captured by the Weed men .... 394

The Union State Convention of September, 1864 395

Superior strength of the anti-Weed men in the convention .... 397 Activity of the peace advocates among New York Democrats during the summer of 1864 397

The mass peace convention 399

Movement in New York in behalf of McClellan 401

New York at the National Democratic Convention of 1864 .... 403

CHAPTER XV The Defeat of the Peace Party Danger of a collision between the federal government and the state

administration of New York . 407

The seizure of the New York World and of the New York Journal

of Commerce ; action of Seymour ... ... 408

Refusal of the Grand Jury to indict the military officers. Further

action of Seymour and of Judge Russel 409

Seymour and the call for hundred days men 410

His order for the increase of the militia. John A. Green 412

Renewal of friction between the national and state administrations

over the draft 413

The Democratic State Convention of September, 1864 414

Renomination of Seymour 417

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Reception of the presidential nominations in New York State - . 419

Effect of the victories of the army and navy 423

The War Democrats of New York 423

Other features of the campaign in New York . . 424

Issues of the canvass in this State 425

Threats of violence 432

The alleged frauds in the collection of the soldiers' votes 432

Orders issued by General Dix before the election; Seymour's

proclamation 436

Exciting incidents at the close of the campaign 438

Result of the election 439

Conclusion 442