History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900
It was a spirit conspicuously manifest in the editorial conduct of very able newspapers in New York City, which gave nearly thirty thousand majority against Lincoln. The dominant political party of the metropolis had always been the dominant political party of Westchester County; and opinions which had been insisted on and stood the test of popular 1 This institution of the Roman Catholic 2 Formerly Upper Morrisania, South Fordham, Church was opened for students Juno 24, 1841, Adamsville, and Mount Hope and incorporated April 10, 1*46.
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appeal through all the rears of the slavery agitation were not to be resigned when the long expected crisis arrived. On the other hand, the sentiment in the county favorable to the national policies for which Mr. Lincoln stood at the election of 1800 was, even in the conditions of mere partisan strife then obtaining, not very seriously in the minority. There had been a remarkable growth in this sentiment since the campaign of 1856. Fremont received only 28.7 per cent, of the total vote in Westchester County, but Lincoln's percentage was 45.5. Everywhere in the county the Republican organization had most influential supporters. At' elections in the kk oil' " years it was formidable. In 1860 the most dignified official position in this county, that of county judge, was occupied by one of the leading Westchester Republicans, the lion. William H. Robertson. Even the member of congress for the 9th district, which included Westchester County, the lion. John B. Haskin, had been elected mainly by Republican votes. Mr. Raskin's position was unique. First chosen to congress as a Democrat in 1850, he became disaffected toward the administration on account of President Buchanan's extreme pro-slavery bias in dealing with questions arising out of the organization of local government in Kansas. Consequently, when up for re-election in 1S5S, the regular Democratic organization repudiated him. lie ran nevertheless, receiving the support of the Republicans and of Democrats who approved his course.