The people recognised a fighter; the thoughtful distinguished a powerful mind; and politicians discovered such a genius for leadership that Albany became a political centre for the National Republicans as it was for the Bucktails.

Unlike some of his predecessors, with their sentences of stilted formality, he wrote easily and with vigour.

The prominent feature of Van Buren's message was the bank question, which, to do him credit, he discussed with courage, urging a general law for chartering banks without the payment of money bonus, and declaring that the only concern of…

Even in the closing years of Van Buren's venerable life, when people used often to see him, white-haired and bright-eyed, walking on Wall Street arm in arm with his son John, his was still the face of a master diplomatist.

In this debate, he gave evidence of that genius for legislation which was destined soon to shine in the United States Senate at a time when some of the fiercest political fights of the century were being waged.

At all events, Marcy did not exhibit the parliamentary spirit that seeks to lead, or which delights in the struggles of the arena where national reputations are made.

Both were statesmen of scrupulous honesty, who despised jobbery.

A man's status in the United States Senate is determined by the calibre and skill of the opponents who are selected to cross weapons with him in the forum.

The people will see nothing in it but a combination of rivals against a competitor.

Instead of killing him, the Senate's rejection had swung open a wider door for his entrance to the highest office in the gift of the people.

The United States Bank is in the field, and I can not but fear the effect of fifty or one hundred thousand dollars expended in conducting the election in such a city as New York.

In other words, the Jackson party was sustained by banks and the opponents of banks, by men of means and men without means, by the rich and the poor.

Tracy is ... a man of original genius, of great and varied literary acquirements, of refined tastes, and high and honourable principles.

He seems the most eloquent, I might almost say the only eloquent man in the Senate.

Winning in his address and gifted in conversation, you would fall naturally into the habit of telling him all your weaknesses, and giving him unintentionally your whole confidence.

By suddenly curtailing its loans, ostensibly because of the removal of the deposits, it brought such pressure upon the state banks that a suspension of specie payment seemed inevitable.

To relieve this situation, Governor Marcy and the Legislature, acting with great promptness, pledged the State's credit to the banks, should the exigency require such aid, to the amount of six million dollars.

Whether Marcy's scheme really averted the threatened calamity, or whether the United States Bank had already carried its contraction as far as it intended, it is certain that the fear of a panic served its purpose in the campaign.

The Whigs became enthusiastic, and, as the United States Bank now began relieving the commercial embarrassment by extending its loans and giving its friends in New York special advantages, the party felt certain of victory.

This election, and other successes in many towns throughout the State, greatly encouraged the leaders of the opposition.

During his four years in the Senate, political expediency neither limited nor controlled his opinions.

He had grown into a statesman of acknowledged genius and popularity, placing himself in sympathy with the masses, denouncing misrule and supporting measures of reform.

Of all the old and experienced members of the Senate, it was freely admitted that none surpassed him in a knowledge of the affairs of the State, or in a readiness to debate leading questions.

To Seward an acceptance of the nomination, therefore, appealed almost as a matter of duty.

His creed was love of republicanism and hatred of Clinton.