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d were willing to help on the lines of Mr。 Lincoln's original idea of purchasing the slaves and freeing them。 But the suggestion had no friends among the slaveholders。 These young men believed that any extension or strengthening of the institution would be disastrous to the country。 The threatened dissolution of the Union； secession； or rebellion did not frighten them。
Political conventions are the most interesting of popular gatherings。 The members have been delegated by their fellow citizens to represent them； and they are above the average in intelligence； political information of conditions in the State and nation； as the convention represents the State or the republic。 The belief that they are generally boss…governed is a mistake。 The party leader； sometimes designated as boss； invariably consults with the strongest men there are in the convention before he arrives at a decision。 He is generally successful； because he has so well prepared the way； and his own judgment is always modified and frequently changed in these conferences。
In 1858 I had the first sensation of the responsibility of public office。 I was not an applicant for the place； in fact； knew nothing about it until I was elected a delegate to the Republican State convention from the third assembly district of Westchester County。 The convention was held at Syracuse。 The Westchester delegates arrived late at night or； rather； early in the morning； and we came to the hotel with large numbers of other delegates from different sections who had arrived on the same train。 It was two o'clock； but the State leader； Thurlow Weed； was in the lobby of the hotel to greet the delegates。 He said to me： 〃You are from Peekskill。 With whom are you studying law？〃 I answered： 〃With Judge William Nelson。〃 〃Oh；〃 he remarked； 〃I remember Judge Nelson well。 He was very active in the campaign of 1828。〃 It was a feat of memory to thus recall the usefulness of a local politician thirty years before。 I noticed； as each delegate was introduced； that Mr。 Weed had some neighborhood recollections of the man which put a tag on him。
The next day； as we met the leader； he recalled us by name； the places where we lived； and the districts represented。 Mr。 Blaine was the only other man I ever met or knew who possessed this extraordinary gift for party leadership。
There was a revolt in the convention among the young members； who had a candidate of their own。 Mr。 Weed's candidate for governor was Edwin D。 Morgan； a successful New York merchant； who had made a good record as a State senator。 I remember one of Mr。 Weed's arguments was that the Democrats were in power everywhere and could assess their office…holders； while the Republicans would have to rely for campaign funds upon voluntary contributions； which would come nowhere so freely as from Mr。 Morgan and his friends。 When the convention met Mr。 Weed had won over a large majority of the delegates for his candidate。 It was a triumph not only of his skill but of his magnetism； which were always successfully exerted upon a doubtful member。
I was elected to the assembly； the popular branch of the New York Legislature； in 1861。 I was nominated during an absence from the State； without being a candidate or knowing of it until my return。 Of course； I could expect nothing from my father； and my own earnings were not large； so I had to rely upon a personal canvass of a district which had been largely spoiled by rich candidates running against each other and spending large amounts of money。 I made a hot canvass； speaking every day； and with an investment of less than one hundred dollars for travel and other expenses I was triumphantly elected。
By far the most interesting member of the legislature was the speaker； Henry J。 Raymond。 He was one of the most remarkable men I ever met。 During the session I became intimate with him； and the better I knew him the more I became impressed with his genius； the variety of his attainments； the perfection of his equipment； and his ready command of all his powers and resources。 Raymond was then editor of the New York Times and contributed a leading article every day。 He was the best debater we had and the most convincing。 I have seen him often； when some other member was in the chair of the committee of the whole； and we were discussing a critical question； take his seat on the floor and commence writing an editorial。 As the debate progressed； he would rise and participate。 When he had made his point； which he always did with directness and lucidity； he would resume writing his editorial。 The debate would usually end with Mr。 Raymond carrying his point and also finishing his editorial； an example which seems to refute the statement of metaphysicians that two parts of the mind cannot work at the same time。
Two years afterwards； when I was secretary of state； I passed much of my time at Saratoga； because it was so near Albany。 Mr。 Raymond was also there writing the 〃Life of Abraham Lincoln。〃 I breakfasted with him frequently and found that he had written for an hour or more before breakfast。 He said to me in explanation that if one would take an hour before breakfast every morning and concentrate his mind upon his subject； he would soon fill a library。
Mr。 Raymond had been as a young man a reporter in the United States Senate。 He told me that； while at that time there was no system of shorthand or stenography； he had devised a crude one for himself； by which he could take down accurately any address of a deliberate speaker。
Daniel Webster； the most famous orator our country has ever produced； was very deliberate in his utterances。 He soon discovered Raymond's ability； and for several years he always had Raymond with him； and once said to him： 〃Except for you； the world would have very few of my speeches。 Your reports have preserved them。〃
Mr。 Raymond told me this story of Mr。 Webster's remarkable memory。 Once he said to Mr。 Webster： 〃You never use notes and apparently have made no preparation； yet you are the only speaker I report whose speeches are perfect in structure； language； and rhetoric。 How is this possible？〃 Webster replied： 〃It is my memory。 I can prepare a speech； revise and correct it in my memory； and then deliver the corrected speech exactly as finished。〃 I have known most of the great orators of the world； but none had any approach to a faculty like this； though several could repeat after second reading the speech which they had prepared。
In 1862 I was candiate for re…election to the assembly。 Political conditions had so changed that they were almost reversed。 The enthusiasm of the war which had carried the Republicans into power the year before had been succeeded by general unrest。 Our armies had been defeated； and industrial and commercial depression was general。
The leader of the Democratic Party in the State was Dean Richmond。 He was one of those original men of great brain…power； force； and character； knowlege of men； and executive ability； of which that period had a number。 From the humblest beginning he had worked his way in politics to the leadership of his party； to the presidency of the greatest corporation in the Sta