"In 1846, twenty-five years ago, I went to the Assembly to sustain the administration of Silas Wright. Not a man in either House was even suspected of corruption. The Democracy under Martin Van Buren, Silas Wright, William L. Marcy, and Azariah C. Flagg had ruled the State during the life of the old Constitution from 1821 to 1846. They were all men not only of transcendent ability, but of personal purity. They gathered around them men of like character in all the counties. They wielded party power not only in favor of good measures, but in favor of good men. No corrupt Senator or Assemblyman could live in their atmosphere. The race ran out.
"From 1846 to 1870—23 years—the Democracy never had a majority in the Senate, and but twice a small majority in the Assembly. Those bodies became what the Republicans, and the party from which they sprang, have made them. When William H. Seward and Thurlow Weed came into power the character of the legislative bodies fell in an instant, and during all the 23 years of Republican ascendancy it continued to fall."
FOOTNOTES:
[42] A James Gordon Bennett, Senior, the founder of the New York Herald.
[43] A fellow-citizen of Governor Seymour in Oneida County. Later an unsuccessful candidate for attorney-general, and subsequent successful candidate and member of the United States Senate.
[44] Governor of Pennsylvania.
[45] For this speech delivered in the Democratic State convention assembled in Albany on the 11th March, 1868, to select delegates to the convention which was to nominate candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency at the ensuing election in November, see Writings and Speeches of Tilden, Vol. 1, p. 394.
[46] General Dix had been appointed by President Johnson Minister to France in 1866.
[47] Mr. Loomis was best known in his day as an associate with David D. Field in drafting the Civil Code for this State. He had no sympathy, however, with the Lincoln government, its origin or conduct. He was a man deservedly of much influence by virtue of his sterling character and good-sense. He exerted no inconsiderable influence in shaping the revised Constitution of the State of New York in 1866.
[48] Mr. Allen was a kinsman of Sandford E. Church; had been a Collector of Internal Revenue; was Comptroller of the State at the date of this letter, and subsequently became a judge of the Court of Appeals.