in an assemblage controlled
and overawed by bullies, imported for that purpose." The Barnburners
laughed, but in order to give the Hunkers time to sleep over it John
Van Buren opposed further proceedings until the next day. In the
evening, Horatio Seymour, now the Governor, met the convention leaders
and with them laid out the morrow's work.

When Seymour began co-operating with the Barnburners, ambition
prompted him to modify his original canal views so far as to oppose
the Whig law authorising a loan of nine million dollars to enlarge the
Erie canal. But after his election as governor, he recognised that no
party could successfully appeal to the people in November, 1853,
weighted with such a policy; and with courage and genius for
diplomatic negotiations, he faced the prejudices which had
characterised the Barnburners during their entire history by favouring
a constitutional amendment appropriating ten and a half millions for
the enlargement of the Erie and the completion of the lateral canals.
He had displayed a bold hand. The help of the Barnburners was needed
to carry the amendment; and when the regular session expired without
the accomplishment of his purpose Seymour quickly called an extra
session. Even this dragged into the summer. Finally, in June, to the
amazement of the people, the amendment passed and was approved. It was
this work, which had so brilliantly inaugurated his administration,
that Seymour desired indorsed, and, although it was morning, and not
very early morning, before the labour of the night ended, it was
agreed to adopt a canal resolution similar to that of the Hunkers and
to indorse the Governor's administration, a compliment which the
Hunkers carefully avoided.

After the settlement of the canal question, the work of the convention
was practically done. A majority of the candidates were taken from the
supporters of Cass in 1848, and included Charles H. Ruggles of
Poughkeepsie, and Hiram Denio of Utica, whom the Hunkers had nominated
for judges of the Court of Appeals. Ruggles was the wise chairman of
the judiciary committee in the constitutional convention of 1846, and
had been a member of the Court of Appeals since 1851. Denio was
destined to become one of the eminent judges of the State. He was not
always kind in his methods. Indeed, it may be said that he was one of
those upright judges who contrived to make neither honour nor
rectitude seem lovable qualities; yet his abilities finally