my memories of eighty years-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


arply　divided　between　radicals　who　insisted　on　immediate　emancipation　of　the　slaves；　and　conservatives　who　thought　the　time　had　not　yet　arrived　for　such　a　revolution。　The　radicals　were　led　by　Horace　Greeley；　and　the　conservatives　by　Thurlow　Weed　and　Henry　J。　Raymond。

Horatio　Seymour　made　a　brilliant　canvass。　　He　had　no　equal　in　the　State　in　either　party　in　charm　of　personality　and　attractive　oratory。　　He　united　his　party　and　brought　to　its　ranks　all　the　elements　of　unrest　and　dissatisfaction　with　conditions；　military　and　financial。　　While　General　Wadsworth　was　an　ideal　candidate；　he　failed　to　get　the　cordial　and　united　support　of　his　party。　He　represented　its　progressive　tendencies　as　expressed　and　believed　by　President　Lincoln；　and　was　hostile　to　reaction。　Under　these　conditions　Governor　Seymour　carried　the　State。

The　election　had　reversed　the　overwhelming　Republican　majority　in　the　legislature　of　the　year　before　by　making　the　assembly　a　tie。　I　was　re…elected；　but　by　reduced　majority。　　The　assembly　being　a　tie；　it　was　several　weeks　before　it　could　organize。　　I　was　the　candidate　in　the　caucus　of　the　Republican　members　for　speaker；　but　after　the　nomination　one　of　the　members；　named　Bemus；　threatened　to　bolt　and　vote　for　the　Democratic　candidate　unless　his　candidate；　Sherwood；　was　made　the　nominee。　　So　many　believed　that　Bemus　would　carry　out　his　threat；　which　would　give　the　organization　of　the　House　to　the　Democrats　by　one　majority；　that　I　withdrew　in　favor　of　Sherwood。　　After　voting　hopelessly　in　a　deadlock；　day　after　day　for　a　long　period；　a　caucus　of　the　Republican　members　was　called；　at　which　Sherwood　withdrew；　and　on　his　motion　I　was　nominated　as　the　party　candidate　for　speaker。

During　the　night　a　Democratic　member；　T。C。　Callicot；　of　Kings　County；　came　to　my　bedroom　and　said：　　〃My　ambition　in　life　is　to　be　speaker　of　the　assembly。　　Under　the　law　the　legislature　cannot　elect　the　United　States　senator　unless　each　House　has　first　made　a　nomination；　then　the　Senate　and　the　House　can　go　into　joint　convention；　and　a　majority　of　that　convention　elect　a　senator。　You　Republicans　have　a　majority　in　the　Senate；　so　that　if　the　House　nominates；　the　legislature　can　go　into　joint　convention　and　elect　a　Republican　senator。　　As　long　as　the　House　remains　a　tie　this　cannot　be　done。　　Now；　what　I　propose　is　just　this：　Before　we　meet　tomorrow　morning；　if　you　will　call　your　members　together　and　nominate　me　for　speaker；　the　vote　of　your　party　and　I　voting　for　myself　will　elect　me。　　Then　I　will　agree　to　name　General　Dix；　a　Democrat；　for　United　States　senator；　and　if　your　people　will　all　vote　with　me　for　him　he　will　be　the　assembly　nominee。　　The　Senate　has　already　nominated　Governor　Morgan。　So　the　next　day　the　legislature　can　go　into　joint　convention　and；　having　a　Republican　majority；　elect　Governor　Morgan　United　States　senator。〃　　I　told　Mr。　Callicot　that　I　would　present　the　matter　to　my　party　associates。

In　the　early　morning　Saxton　Smith　and　Colonel　John　Van　Buren；　two　of　the　most　eminent　Democrats　in　the　State　and　members　of　the　legislature；　came　to　me　and　said：　　〃We　know　what　Callicot　has　proposed。　　Now；　if　you　will　reject　that　proposition　we　will　elect　you　speaker　practically　unanimously。〃

This　assured　my　election　for　the　speakership。　　I　had　a　great　ambition　to　be　on　that　roll　of　honor；　and　as　I　would　have　been　the　youngest　man　ever　elected　to　the　position；　my　youth　added　to　the　distinction。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　government　at　Washington　needed　an　experienced　senator　of　its　own　party；　like　Edwin　D。　Morgan；　who　had　been　one　of　the　ablest　and　most　efficient　of　war　governors；　both　in　furnishing　troops　and　helping　the　credit　of　the　country。　I　finally　decided　to　surrender　the　speakership　for　myself　to　gain　the　senatorship　for　my　party。　　I　had　difficulty　in　persuading　my　associates；　but　they　finally　agreed。　　Callicot　was　elected　speaker　and　Edwin　D。　Morgan　United　States　senator。

The　event　was　so　important　and　excited　so　much　interest；　both　in　the　State　and　in　the　country；　that　representative　men　came　to　Albany　in　great　numbers。　　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　le