times have I received renewed evidence of your confidence by as
many elections, and, at the expiration of my present term, I
shall have served you three years in the State and eight years
in the National Councils. I cannot recall the thousand acts of
generous devotion from so many friends, without feeling the
deepest emotions of gratitude. I came among you a poor and
friendless boy. You kindly took me by the hand and gave me your
confidence and support. You have conferred upon me distinction
and honors, for which I could make no adequate return, but by
honest and untiring effort faithfully to discharge the high
trust which you confided to my keeping. If my humble efforts
have met your approbation, I freely admit, next to the approval
of my own conscience, it is the highest reward which I could
receive for days of unceasing toil and nights of sleepless
anxiety. I profess not to be above or below the common
frailties of our nature. I will therefore not disguise the
fact, that I was highly gratified at my first election to
Congress; yet I can truly say that my utmost ambition has been
gratified. I aspire to nothing more, and shall retire from the
exciting scenes of political strife to the quiet employments of
my family and fireside, with still more satisfaction than I
felt when first elevated to distinguished station."

During this same year he returned to the practice of his profession,
and, in 1844, the Whig State Convention of New York put him in
nomination for the office of Governor, in opposition to Silas Wright.
This was the only conflict in which he ever suffered defeat, and the
race was close. In 1847, without seeking or desiring the highly
responsible office, he was elected Comptroller of the Finances of the
State, and removed to Albany, where he discharged the duties of the
office with great credit to himself and usefulness to the State,
resigning the office in February, 1849, to enter upon the duties of the
office of Vice-President, to which he had been called by the election in
1848. Gen. Taylor dying, he became President, and every patriot in the
land remembers and admires the history of his administration. Gen. Cass
and other distinguished Democrats said his career had been one of
genuine patriotism, honor, and usefulness; and Gov. Wise, upon the stump
in Virginia, characterized it as "Washington-like;" w