my memories of eighty years-第6章

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rs。　　The　rejoicing　and　enthusiasm　were　intense　at　having　secured　so　unexpectedly　a　United　States　Senator　for　the　support　of　Mr。　Lincoln's　administration。

That　night　they　all　united　in　giving　me　a　reception　in　the　ballroom　of　the　hotel。　　There　was　a　flood　of　euIogistic　and　prophetic　oratory。　　I　was　overwhelmed　with　every　form　of　flattery　and　applause；　for　distinguished　service　to　the　party。　　By　midnight　I　had　been　nominated　and　elected　Governor　of　the　State；　and　an　hour　later　I　was　already　a　United　States　senator。　　Before　the　morning　hour　the　presidency　of　the　United　States　was　impatiently　waiting　for　the　time　when　I　would　be　old　enough　to　be　eligible。　　All　this　was　soon　forgotten。　　It　is　a　common　experience　of　the　instability　of　promises　and　hopes　which　come　from　gratified　and　happy　enthusiasts；　and　how　soon　they　are　dissipated　like　a　dream！　　I　have　seen　many　such　instances；　and　from　this　early　experience　deeply　sympathize　with　the　disillusionized　hero。

The　Democrats　of　the　assembly　and　also　of　the　State　were　determined　that　Mr。　Callicot　should　not　enjoy　the　speakership。　　They　started　investigations　in　the　House　and　movements　in　the　courts　to　prevent　him　from　taking　his　seat。　　The　result　was　that　I　became　acting　speaker　and　continued　as　such　until　Mr。　Callicot　had　defeated　his　enemies　and　taken　his　place　as　speaker　in　the　latter　part　of　the　session。

I　was　also　chairman　of　the　committee　of　ways　and　means　and　the　leader　of　the　House。　　The　budget　of　my　committee　was　larger　than　usual　on　account　of　the　expenses　of　the　war。　　It　was　about　seven　million　dollars。　　It　created　much　more　excitement　and　general　discussion　than　does　the　present　budget　of　one　hundred　and　forty　millions。　　The　reason　is　the　difference　in　conditions　and　public　necessities　of　the　State　of　New　York　in　the　winter　of　1863　and　now。　　It　is　also　partly　accounted　for　by　the　fact　that　the　expenses　of　the　State　had　then　to　be　met　by　a　real…estate　tax　which　affected　everybody；　while　now　an　income　tax　has　been　adopted　which　is　capable　of　unlimited　expansion　and　invites　limitless　extravagance　because　of　the　comparatively　few　interested。

Eighteen　hundred　and　sixty…three　was　an　eventful　year；　the　early　part　was　full　of　gloom　and　unrest。　　Horatio　Seymour；　as　governor；　violently　antagonized　President　Lincoln　and　his　policies。　　Seymour　was　patriotic　and　very　able；　but　he　was　so　saturated　with　State　rights　and　strict　construction　of　the　Constitution　that　it　marred　his　judgment　and　clouded　his　usually　clear　vision。　　In　the　critical　situation　of　the　country　Mr。　Lincoln　saw　the　necessity　of　support　of　the　State　of　New　York。　　The　president　said：　　〃The　governor　has　greater　power　just　now　for　good　than　any　other　man　in　the　country。　He　can　wheel　the　Democratic　party　into　line；　put　down　the　rebellion　and　preserve　the　government。　　Tell　him　from　me　that　if　he　will　render　this　service　to　his　country；　I　shall　cheerfully　make　way　for　him　as　my　successor。〃　　To　this　message；　sent　through　Thurlow　Weed；　Governor　Seymour　made　no　reply。　　He　did　not　believe　that　the　South　could　be　defeated　and　the　Union　preserved。

Later　President　Lincoln　sent　a　personal　letter　to　the　governor。　It　was　a　very　human　epistle。　　The　president　wrote：　　〃You　and　I　are　substantially　strangers；　and　I　write　this　that　we　may　become　better　acquainted。　　In　the　performance　of　duty　the　co…operation　of　your　State　is　needed　and　is　indispensable。　　This　alone　is　sufficient　reason　why　I　should　wish　to　be　on　a　good　understanding　with　you。　　Please　write　me　at　least　as　long　a　letter　as　this；　of　course　saying　in　it　just　what　you　think　fit。〃

Governor　Seymour　made　no　reply。　　He　and　the　other　Democratic　leaders　thought　the　president　uncouth；　unlettered；　and　very　weak。　The　phrase　〃please　write　me　at　least　as　long　a　letter　as　this〃　produced　an　impression　upon　the　scholarly；　cultured；　cautious；　and　diplomatic　Seymour　which　was　most　unfavorable　to　its　author。　Seymour　acknowledged　the　receipt　of　the　letter　and　promised　to　make　a　reply；　but　never　did。

Seymour's　resentment　was　raised　to　fever　heat　when　General　Burnside；　in　May；　1863；　arrested　Clement　L。　Vallandigham。　　The　enemies　of　the　war　and　peace　at　any　price　people；　and　those　who　were　discouraged；　called　mass　meetings　all　over　the　country　to　protest　this　arrest　as　an　outrage。　　A　mass　meeting　was　called　in　Albany　on　the　16th　of　May。　　Erastus　Corning；　one　of　the　most　eminent　Democrats　in　the　State；　presided。

I　was　in　Albany　at　the　time　and　learned　this　incident。　　One　of　Governor　Seymour's　intimate　friends；　his　adviser　and　confidant　in　personal　business　affairs　was　Charles　Cook；　who　had　been　comptroller　of　the　State　and　a　State　senator。　　Cook　was　an　active　Republican；　a　very　shrewd　and　able　man。　　He　called　on　the　governor　and　tried　to　persuade　him　not　to　write　a　letter　to　the　Vallandigham　meeting；　but　if　he　felt　he　must　say　something；　attend　the　meeting　and　make　a　speech。　　Cook　said：　　〃Governor；　the　country　is　going　to　sustain　ultimately　the　arrest　of　Vallandigham。　　It　will　be　proved　that　he　is　a　traitor　to　the　government　and　a　very　dangerous　man　to　be　at　large。　　Whatever　is　said　at　the　meeting　will　seriously　injure　the　political　future　of　the　authors。　　If　you　write　a　letter　it　will　be　on　record；　so　I　beg　you；　if　you　must　participate；　attend　the　meeting　and　make　a　speech。　　A　letter　cannot　be　denied；　it　can　always　be　claimed　that　a　speech　has　been　misreported。〃

The　Governor　wrote　the　letter；　one　of　the　most　violent　of　his　utterances；　and　it　was　used　against　him　with　fatal　effect　when　he　ran　for　governor；　and　also　when　a　candidate　for　president。

On　July　11th　the　draft　began　in　New　York　City。　　It　had　been　denounced　as　unconstitutional　by　every　shade　of　opposition　to　Mr。　Lincoln's　administration　and　to　the　prosecution　of　the　war。　The　attempt　to　enforce　it　led　to　one　of　the　most　serious　riots　in　the　history　of　the　city；　and　the　rage　of　the　rioters　was　against　the　officers　of　the　law；　the　headquarters　of　the　draft　authorities；　and　principally　against　the　negroes。　　Every　negro　who　was　caught　was　hung　or　burned；　and　the　negro　orphan　asylum　was　destroyed　by　fire。　　The　governor　did　his　best　to　stop　the　rioting。　　He　issued　a　proclamation　declaring　the　city　in　a　state　of　insurrection；　and　commanded　obedience　to　the　law　and　the　authorities。

In　this　incident　again　the　governor　permitted　his　opposition　to　the　war　to　lead　him　into　political　indiscretion。　　He　made　a　speech　from　the　steps　of　the　City　Hall　to　the　rioters。　　He　began　by　addressing　them　as　〃My　friends。〃　　The　governor's　object　was　to　quiet　the　mob　and　send　them　to　their　homes。　　So　instead　of　saying　〃fellow　citizens〃　he　used　the　fatal　words　〃my　friends。〃　　No　two　words　were　ever　used　against　a　public　man　with　such　fatal　effect。　Every　newspaper　opposed　to　the　governor　and　every　orator　would　describe　the　horrors；　murders；　and　destruction　of　property　by　the　mob　and　then　say：　　〃These　are　the　people　whom　Governor　Seymour　in　his　speech　from　the　steps　of　the　City　Hall　addressed　as　'my　friends。'〃

The　Vallandigham　letter　and　this　single　utterance　did　more　harm　to　Governor　Seymour's　future　ambitions　than　all　his　many　eloquent　speeches　against　Lincoln's　administration　and　the　conduct　of　the　war。

The　political　situation；　which　had　been　so　desperate　for　the　national　administration；　changed　rapidly　for　the　better　with　the　victory　at　Gettysburg；　which　forced　General　Lee　out　of　Pennsylvania　and　back　into　Virginia；　and　also　by　General　Grant's　wonderful　series　of　victories　at　Vicksburg　and　other　places　which　liberated　the　Mississippi　River。

Under　these　favorable　conditions　the　Republicans　entered　upon　the　canvass　in　the　fall　of　1863　to　reverse；　if　possible；　the　Democratic　victory　the　year　before。　　The　Republican　State　ticket　was：

Secretary　of　State　。。。。。　Chauncey　M。　Depew。　Comptroller　。。。。。　Lucius　Robinson。　Canal　Commissioner　。。。。。　Benjamin　F。　Bruce。　Treasurer　。。。。。　George　W。　Schuyler。　State　Engineer　。。。。。　William　B。　Taylor。　Prison　Inspector　。。。。。　James　K。　Bates。　Judge　of　the　Court　of　Appeals　。。。。。　Henry　S。　Selden。　Attorney…General　。。。。。　John　Cochran。

The　canvass　was　one　of　the　most　interesting　of　political　campaigns。　The　president　was　unusually　active；　and　his　series　of　letters　were　remarkable　documents。　　He　had　the　ear　of　the　public