The advent, too, of a secret political organization, styled Native American, which had in the several towns a large following, was very unsettling as to the county and town nominations and elections. To be added to all this was the dissensions which sprang up as the question of the extension of slavery was discussed. As a consequence, the majority of Mr. Polk in the county over Mr. Clay was still less than that of his party four years before.

The admission of Texas into the Union, which increased the Southern strength and the war with Mexico, which necessarily followed it, added new subjects for difference of opinion and debate. At the Gubernatorial election, in 1846, the defection in the Democjatic party, which ensured the defeat of Silas Wright, brought on confusion and revolt. The feeling was intensified when the death of Mr. Wright in the succeeding August was announced. During that summer, at the primary meetings and conventions of the Democracy, bitter struggles were taking place. In September the State convention met at Syracuse, and the Radicals, being deprived, as they alleged, of their proper representation assembled in October, at Herkimer. Mr. Hunter's name appears in the call. In this internal dissension the question involved was

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

the extension of slavery into the territories. The Herkimer convention demanded tlial the principle of non-extension, called also the Wilmot Proviso, be introduced into the party platform. The Whigs in the canvass of 1847 were signally victorious, but the seat of Mr. James E. Beers in the Assembly was contested by Colonel J. R. Hayward, who had held it the previous year. Mr Hayward was unsuccessful. In 1848 the breach between the two factions was made still wider at the meeting of the two conventions styled the "Old Hunker" and the "Barnburner," in both of which Westchester Democrats were represented.