the period of President Johnson's administration. This period corresponds with the early Reconstruction period in the South. Hence it will be the aim to keep the national political situation constantly in view as a background for State activities. However, chief attention will be directed to a study of the factors which in the Unionist, or Republican Party,' brought about the downfall of Seward, Weed and Raymond; the temporary ascendency of Fenton; the rise of Conkling; the failure of the Radicals to apply their doctrines on negro suffrage to the State; and the loss of prestige for the Radicals in the legislature resulting from the disclosures of venality in connection with the Erie War. The above grouping of points to which attention will be especially directed in the politics of the Republican Party, will be used to disclose the attempts of the Democratic Party to rehabilitate itself, and to contrast its steady advance in power with a corresponding weakening, due to corruption, in the Republican control of the State. Although questions of national prominence appeared to hold a leading place in the campaigns of the period, local rather than national issues, together with questionable methods, proved to be the factors which enabled the Democrats to coalesce and elect John T. Hoffman, as Governor when for President, Grant carried the State. In view of Democracy's course from 1860 to 1865, it is not strange that this transitional period, corresponding to the turbulent early Reconstruction period in the South, should present the best opportunity to ascertain the causes leading to the period of Democratic control in New York that began with 1869.

'The latter name was generally reverted to shortly after the War.

CHAPTER II

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SURVEY OF NEW YORK AT THE CLOSE OF THE CIVIL WAR

THE Conditions in New York State during the year of 1865 made manifest its potential strength and resources. Though heavy demands had been laid upon the State through the war, its prosperity continued uninterrupted. New York, owing to its increased prosperity, was singularly open to the manipulations of unprincipled politicians. The fact that a large proportion of its men of character had been sacrificed in the war, or were occupied largely with national duties, gave rein to opportunity for the self-seekers. It was during this period that the ground work was established for the iniquitous plans of those who made the New York City and State administrations a by-word.

New York may be proud of its war record. The total number of men sent to the field from April 15, 1861 to December 31, 1864 was 437,701. The number furnished in 1865 until the end of the war brings the aggregate number of men furnished under all calls to 464,701. New York led all of the Union States in the number of men it sent to the front. Pennsylvania was its next competitor with a grand total of 366,326.2 The State disbursed in bounties alone, principal and interest $43,

1

1 Adjutant-General's Report, 1865, p. 33.

Report of the Committee on Volunteering of the County of New York, Document 12, vol. i, p. 701.

270,337.47. New York City furnished 148,676 men for various terms. This number, considering the fact that New York was a comparatively small city, is large.

In 1865, New York City was advancing rapidly to the position it now occupies. Already, the increase of the cosmopolitan elements3 among its citizens gave cause for serious thought. This was evinced in the incorporation of the "Home Building Company" by a group of wealthy New York citizens, in an effort to alleviate the tenement congestion. The purpose of the company was to erect modern houses in Williamsburg, near the ferry. These were to be sold at cost, or to be rented at a simple interest on the outlay. The Nation summed up the popular notion of the laissez-faire attitude which New York has been so prone to assume, when it said:

...

There is... dismal outcry about houses in New York. The scarcity is great and the ordinary law of demand and supply does not seem to work. We are surprised there has been as yet no outcry raised against the 'speculators' for bringing the price of houses up.'

5

1 Messages from the Governors, vol. viii, p. 141. For a sketch of the origin of the bounty debt, see Annual Message, 1863, note 6; also ibid., vol. v, pp. 454, 571, 609.

2

Report of the Committee on Volunteering, op. cit., p. 669.

The following statistics are based upon the United States Census of 1860, which found the population of New York City at that date to be 813,669. Of this number 429,952 were born in the United States. The remainder, 383,717, were born in foreign countries of forty-two different nationalities. There were 3,272 marriages, 6,424 births, and 25,196 deaths in the city yearly. The city taxes amounted to $18,000,000. Public amusements drew from the people $2,000,000 yearly. The police required $2,000,000 for their support. The average number of immigrants landing per month at Castle Garden was 17,000. City Mission and Tract Society Reports, 1865-7, p. 131.

The Nation, vol. i-ii, 1865, p. 163.

The Nation, 1865, p. 34.

These congested conditions in New York City were further aggravated in 1865, by the presence of a large number of discharged soldiers. New York City was a natural center of gravity for them and their presence caused great annoyance to the citizens and merchants of the city. On Friday August 11, 1865, between three and four hundred soldiers paraded the streets of New York in order to demonstrate the fact that they needed employment. They considered that the people had treated them unfairly. The Nation pointedly remarked, that

many of these gentlemen are a little over particular about the kind of situation they will take and display an unreasonable fondness for city life. Anywhere outside of New York they can find work in abundance, and it is scarcely fair to blame the merchants here for the overcrowding of the labor market in this particular spot wrought by the laborers themselves.'

Moreover, the sanitary3 condition of New York City at this period was in dire need of improvement. A movement for reform in this direction was instituted in 1865 by the Citizens Committee of New York. This

1New York Times, August 11, 1865.

The Nation, vol. i-ii, 1865, p. 194.

3 A sanitary survey and census of New York City was completed in Dec., 1864. The board found that 495,592 persons in 111,000 families were living in 15,319 tenement houses and cellars. This made an average of 7.25 families or 32.37 persons to a house. The investigators found further, that of the 15,309 tenement houses, 3,932, in which 100,675 persons were housed, had absolutely no sewer connections. Davenport, Population of New York, p. 4.

'The necessity for a thorough sanitary house-cleaning was thrust upon New York City, when it faced danger from an epidemic of Asiatic cholera in the fall of 1865. Cases of the disease first arrived upon the steamship Atalanta, November 2, 1865. The plague, at this time, had spread from eastern Asia through western Europe. The Commission

was the most systematic and scientific endeavor to improve the hygiene of the City ever attempted. The Council of Hygiene, which was composed entirely of physicians, was a direct attack upon the City's sanitary administration.' The total number of deaths during the year 1863, amounting to 25,196,3 made a death rate greater than that of any other large city in the world at that time. The causes of the various prevalent diseases were investigated; the construction of tenements, sewerage, stables etc., was severely criticised; and remedies were suggested.

In order to understand the origin and power of the

ers of Quarantine found themselves entirely unprovided with places to receive the patients, or places to segregate suspects. Their funds had been spent for other purposes. Upon request of the board, Governor Fenton issued a proclamation of impending pestilence. He advised the commissioners to assume the responsibility of incurring such liabilities as were needed to meet the peril, and to rely upon the legislature to ratify their action. Before all needful precautions had been taken, cases broke out in the city. A building at Five Points was secured as a House of Refuge. The Barracks, situated on the Battery, were fitted up for hospital purposes. Arrangements were made to establish another hospital in Harlem, in case of need. A central Bureau for Disinfectants was opened in Mulberry Street. The streets were cleaned, and endeavors were made to destroy all foul odors. Tenement houses were depopulated and cleaned. These measures proved effective in stopping the plague. The high-water mark was reached on August 5, 1866, when twenty-nine cases were reported. Publications of the Citizens' Association, pamph. 18, p. 25. Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia, 1865, p. 613. New York Evening Post, Nov. 4, 1865. New York Herald, August 14, 1866.

'Report of the Council of Hygiene and Public Health of the Citizens Association of New York upon the sanitary condition of the city. 1865. This report is important in that it took the initial step in the reclamatory process through which New York has been lifted to a more wholesome condition.

'The report only made a study of statistics to 1863. 'Ibid. (Report), p. 40.