As a final fact, the political feeling was then so strong
that all considerations yielded to the chances and hopes of success.
My opponent, and the successful candidate, was Mr. John Boynton,
afterward, and for a single year, a member of the senate. He was a
native of the town, a blacksmith by trade, and the son of a blacksmith.
He was a man of quiet ways, upright, and known to every voter. He had
been in the office of town clerk for many years, he had been kind to
everyone, and he had no enemies. Boynton was elected, but by a
moderate majority. But for the excitement of the Presidential
election, the contest would have been very close.
The death of General Harrison and the elevation of John Tyler to the
Presidency wrought a great change in the fortunes of the Whig Party.
Soon after the assembling of Congress at the extra session, called by
President Harrison, a bill for a Fiscal Bank was passed by the two
Houses, and vetoed by President Tyler. The veto message was so framed
as to encourage the Whig leaders to pass a second bill in a form
designed to avoid the objections of the President.
In the discussion upon the veto of the first bill, Mr. Clay assailed
the President in such terms that a reconciliation was impossible. From
that moment it was the purpose of the President to co-operate with the
Democratic Party.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112