ity reached its climax. The Democrats split into a northern and southern wing on the question of slavery. The southerners seceded from the national convention held at Charleston, met at Richmond, and nominated John C. Breckinridge (June 28). The northerners adjourned to Baltimore and chose Stephen A. Douglas as their candidate (June 18). The Americans named John Bell at Baltimore (May 19). The Republicans met at Chicago (May 16). Seward, the father of the party, was the most prominent candidate. He was aided by Thurlow Weed, editor of the Albany Journal and the most skillful politician of his age, and Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune. For some years this triumvirate had controlled New York politics.

Greeley Defeats Seward.-Seward was backed for the nomination by a solid delegation from his own state. But Greeley suddenly deserted his friend and at Chicago worked against him. He accused Seward of selling city franchises for campaign funds. This, with personal hatreds, defeated Seward and led to the selection of Abraham Lincoln. Seward was disappointed, but did all in his power to elect Lincoln and thus have his own principles triumph. The Republican candidates received a majority of the electoral college, but no candidate got a majority of the popular vote. New York gave Lincoln a majority of 50,000. Seward, as Lincoln's Secretary of State, labored for the success of his party and won for himself a name among America's most distinguished patriots and statesmen.

CHAPTER XLV.-NEW YORK AND THE CIVIL WAR

Threats of Secession.-During the campaign of 1860 a few hot-headed southern politicians declared that if the "black Republicans" elected Lincoln they would secede. These threats had no effect on the people whose conscience was stirred so deeply. Lincoln once elected, the calmer northern statesmen sought to quiet the south. Newspapers urged moderation. New York especially was desirous of averting war. She extended a friendly hand to Senator Crittenden, who fathered a compromise in vain. She warmly accepted Virginia's invitation to send delegates to the peace conference at Washington (Feb. 4, 1861). Mass-meetings were held over the state to avert war and to preserve an honorable peace. Wealthy merchants, manufacturers, and traders did all within their power to avoid the conflict. But the day of compromise was past. The nation could not endure "half slave and half free."

Activity of New York. - South Carolina seceded (Dec. 20, 1860), followed by six other states within forty days. Lincoln denied the right of secession. All peace efforts failed. The Confederate States of America were formed. Fort Sumter was taken (April 14). The gun of a New York boy, Captain Abner Doubleday, first answered the southern attack and spoke the mind of the north. The flag was shot down by the Confederates. New York's first volunteer, Peter Hart, recklessly seized it and nailed it to the staff amid missiles of death and cheers. Daniel Hough, killed by the explosion of a

gun, the first martyr to the Union, was a New-Yorker. Party lines faded away in defense of the nation's life. The masses of the north clamored for arms, leaders, and organization to bring the south back to law and order at the bayonet's point. The President called for 75,000 troops (April 15), and the Civil War had begun in earnest. "The Union Defense Committee," organized in New York City with John A. Dix as chairman, sent 7,000 men within ten days to answer Lincoln's call. Later it helped to organize forty-nine regiments of 40,000 men. Other cities took like action. The legislature almost unanimously offered the President men and money to uphold the nation's integrity (Jan. 11).

Opposition to the War. A respectable minority, however, found mostly in the cities, sent memorials to Congress and held mass-meetings to avert hostilities. At a big gathering in the metropolis, attended and addressed by men of both parties, three commissioners were sent south to "restore the peace and integrity of the Union" (Jan. 28). In another noted meeting at Albany, Judge Amasa J. Parker presided and urged compromise. Ex-Governor Seymour asked whether "successful coercion by the north is less revolutionary than successful secession by the south." "If a revolution by force is to begin," said another speaker, " it shall be inaugurated at home." At Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and elsewhere these southern sympathizers held meetings. Some of the leaders were imprisoned and a few New York City newspapers were forced to raise the stars and stripes. A delegation from Brooklyn and New York, moved by a generous spirit, carried a petition signed by 40,000 citizens to Seward urging him

to persuade Congress to concede such terms to the south as would bring her back into the Union.

Loyalty of the State Government.-The state government, voicing the majority in the state, acted without fear or delay. Lincoln asked New York for 13,000 men for three months, and she voted $3,000,000 and 30,000 men for two years. By July 1 she had enlisted 46,700 men, and in six months more 120,000 men. The empty state arsenals were equipped with 19,000 rifles. Wealthy men loaned the government $210,000,000 of the $260,000,000 asked for by Congress. When the campaign of 1862 closed 250,000 of New York's sons were on the battle-fields of nine southern states. The people were fired with patriotism. Nearly every home had a hero in the army. Boys ran away and overstated their ages to enlist. Companies were formed and drilled everywhere. Little else was talked of in schools, churches, and social gatherings. Sisters, wives, and mothers made flags and clothing for the soldiers. Men left the shop, the desk, the schoolroom, and the pulpit to uphold the Union. Heroism was not dead in New York.

The State Election of 1861 was of unusual interest. Local issues were dropped out of sight. The Republicans rallied all who supported the war against disunion, and elected their candidates by over 100,000 majority. Then reaction set in. The first glow of patriotism subsided. The conduct of the war was criticised. The burdens of taxation, the depressed trade, and high prices led to discontent and restlessness. The south had defeated the north at Bull Run. General McClellan was retreating. Those who looked for a short, decisive, easy victory were losing heart. Even Lincoln's promise

of emancipation (Sept. 22) only increased the doubt and fear. The new draft, ordered on the eve of election, embittered many. This change of feeling and the loss of the soldier vote led to the election of Seymour for governor over General James S. Wadsworth by 10,752 majority (Nov., 1862).

Conduct of the War Denounced. Thus the people showed their distrust in the conduct of the war, though not in the justice of the war itself. The " peace-atany-price" men were jubilant. Seymour denounced the Republican management of the war, and most bitterly assailed the plan for freeing and arming the slaves as one "for the butchery of women and children, for scenes of lust and rapine, of arson and murder, unparalleled in the history of the world." But he favored war to preserve the Union. This was the feeling of thousands of other honest citizens.

Position of Governor Seymour.- By 1862 the demand for recruits in New York could not be met by voluntary enlistment. The draft helped elect Seymour, but, once in office, he had to enforce it-a hard task for him. He boldly said that New York had not received due credit for her men, and hinted that, being Democratic, a heavier quota was assigned her. Finally the draft began (July 11, 1863). The first day passed quietly, but there were signs of danger ahead. A mob was organizing to resist the draft.

Mob Material.-From the days of Leisler's Rebellion to the present time, New York City, like all large cities, has had an element that could easily be incited to acts of violence by wily leaders. There were the negro riots of 1712 and 1741, the Stamp Act riot of 1765, the