chairman and Stansbury as a member of the State Committee, and we were authorized to name the three remaining members-two from the old Whig and one from the Democratic party.

As I write after the lapse of forty-five years, the scenes of that day come back to me with vivid distinctness. Except myself all the actors have gone over to the great majority. For a few moments I call back Barber, his round, moon-like face beaming with delight as he croons the death-song of the Democratic party which he is composing. Stansbury, his sharp eyes sparkling through his gold-rimmed spectacles, is hunting for some one whom he may "pitch into," always preferring a "Hunker." Rowell, expert with the pen, is making a list of our probable recruits to whom the Courier is to be sent. Field, saturnine and solemn, declares that, as he contemplates the wreck of the Democracy, he for the first time understands the sensations of Marius surrounded by the ruins of Carthage. He would prefer a nice, fresh ruin with an agreeable odor, he declares, for those of the Democracy have a stale and graveyard kind of smell; while Walker recommends to Henry Stevens, of Barnet, that as those ruins are already desiccated, he should gather them up and deposit them in his receptacle for things lost upon earth. Even now there is a sensation of fun about the whole affair, for we were all then enjoying life in the freshness and vigor of that youth which, alas! never returns.

We never paid our subscriptions to the Free Soil Courier. On the first day of August Stansbury brought out the first number. It was so racy that the old hand-press upon which it was printed was

kept running until it was wanted for the second number. Subscriptions for the twelve numbers to be issued before the November elections came in so rapidly that the enterprise was a paying one from the start.

I am aware that it is the prevailing opinion that there were no organizations of the Free Soil party in the New England States until after the Buffalo convention, held in August, 1848. Even Henry Wilson, who is usually accurate, fell into that error. Our organization had been in active operation for six weeks before the Buffalo convention was called.

CHAPTER II.

THE VAN BURENS-THE NEW YORK BARN

BURNERS.

IN June, 1848, the feud between the Barn-Burners and the Hunkers of New York was at fever heat. The Evening Post was the organ, "Prince" John Van Buren the recognized leader of the Barn-Burners. One of the first and most encouraging evidences that our movement begun at Montpelier was attracting attention was a letter from William C. Bryant, then chief editor of the Evening Post, urging us to persevere and either nominate a State ticket or adopt the candidates of the Liberty party. We had already determined to adopt those candidates, for they were men of worth and ability.

During the last week in June I received a letter from John Van Buren urging me to come to Albany on the 1st of July. On reaching that city, I was, on the morning of July 2d, introduced to a party of gentlemen, some of whom I think have been members of about every political party which has since. been formed. I cannot now recall the names of all of them. "Prince" John Van Buren was by common consent the leader. I remember also N. S. Benton, at one time Secretary of State, Judge James, of Ogdensburgh, and Cassidy, afterward editor of the Albany Atlas, at first a Free Soil sheet, but afterward transferred with its editor to the Argus, an

ultra-Hunker journal. There too I first met William Curtis Noyes, and formed a friendship interrupted only by his death. He appeared to be a genuine lover of freedom, a sharp fighter, and a determined, but fair and honorable opponent of the slave power. Among the party there was also another young lawyer from New York City. He was said to be an immense card-a man of extraordinary brilliancy and adroitness. He had just written some excoriation of the Hunkers which had given him great éclat. His name was Samuel J. Tilden. He was understood to breathe no atmosphere that was not saturated with hatred of the Hunker Democracy.

It was very apparent at the first meeting that the object of these gentlemen was to defeat General Cass rather than to restrict slavery. Cass had received the Democratic nomination for the Presidency and was supported by the Hunker wing of the New York Democracy. The Barn-Burners had bolted his nomination, and had decided to hold another convention and nominate ex-President Van Buren on a Free Soil platform. The purpose of the meeting at Albany was to frame the call and fix the time for that convention, and the grave question for decision was whether the call should be made broad enough to invite such men as Charles Sumner and Charles Francis Adams, who had never been either Democrats or Abolitionists.

The question seemed to be one of policy. If these men were excluded, the convention would be held by the Barn-Burners only. This party had little strength outside the State of New York-not enough, it was feared, to defeat General Cass if it was exerted for a third candidate. On the other hand, the Barn-Burners

were loyal to the Constitution and would not affiliate with men who believed in disregarding its provisions as the Abolitionists were quite prepared to do. Tilden seemed to be the leader of those who favored a restricted call, Mr. Noyes of the Liberals, while John Van Buren had not yet declared himself either way.

mony.

Toward even

For two days the debate went on. ing it became acrimonious, but the inimitable humor of Prince John and the excellent dinners he gave us at a private residence on Capitol Hill restored harWe had reached cigars at the dinner on the 3d of July, when, as if the idea had just struck him, the Prince exclaimed: "Let us adjourn this debate and go to the theatre! To-morrow morning we will drive down to Lindenwald and spend the Fourth with father. He shall give us a good dinner and help us to a settlement of this question."

The proposal met with universal favor. I had all the curiosity of youth for a near view of the exPresident, which I may here say was the more interesting since it was the only one I ever had. I did not feel much interest in the question, for its decision either way would not modify our action. there were others who thought that it was prudent, in a matter of so much importance, to avail themselves of the wisdom and experience of the sage of Kinderhook.

But

Early the next morning Prince John called at my hotel, himself driving a pair of horses and a light Concord wagon. He insisted that I should carry my portmanteau, as we might pass the night elsewhere than in Albany.

That drive was as delightful as the subsequent