H., and Boston, there being an absentee at each of those places.
Upon the first ballot the second day I received two hundred and eleven
votes and Coburn two hundred and seven. Of scattering votes there were
none. From that time forward the town was Democratic. In all the
previous contests I had contended against a Whig majority. My success
had been due to the friendship of a number of Whig families, to my
strength among the young men, and to a more perfect organization of the
Democratic Party. The annexation of Texas, and the Mexican War, had
alienated the support of some, and to this fact was due the closeness
of the contest of 1846.
XII
THE LEGISLATURE OF 1847
At the meeting of the Legislature of 1847, some new members appeared.
Caleb Cushing came from Newburyport, and Fletcher Webster, and J.
Lothrop Motley from Boston. The Democrats of Boston and vicinity were
then engaged in raising and equipping a regiment for Mexico. Cushing
was Colonel of the regiment and Edward Webster, a brother of Fletcher,
was the Captain of one of the companies. On the first day of the
session Cushing introduced an order to appropriate twenty thousand
dollars to aid in equipping the regiment for service. The order was
referred to a special committee of which Cushing was made chairman.
I was put upon the committee and the majority were friends of the
measure.
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