“My Dear Abby,

… I have just returned from a meeting of the few democrats that are here in the Senate, and we have been consulting and comparing and concluding. And the result of all is that our party is in no little danger of an explosion. Our section, though small in the Senate, will be as prim and resolute as though all power was in our hands, for we are contending for several principles, while our antagonists are fighting to carry out personal objects, and to keep power in the hands of a few intriguing and designing men … The Senate is now engaged in the last reading of Bills, which is a tedious proceeding often, and is so now. My Surrogate bill passed through the Committee of the whole yesterday, and will finally pass the Senate as soon as it can, with the amendments … The points of difference have been adjusted and my plans have been carried out in general. I am satisfied, and think that Surrogates will find no little difficulty in getting extravagant fees hereafter. There have been numerous amendments to the constitution recently introduced into the two houses, and the discussions of these propositions and of the question of more legislation of a general nature … There is considerable doubt today whether Leverett will be nominated. The Gov. has no mind of his own, and no one can tell what influences may operate to induce him to make up a final decision. I shall not be disappointed if he fails, for the reason that I suppose that he cares very little for the office. Goodwin stands no chance of a nomination, nor has he ever been seriously thought of by anyone here. Either of the candidates named will be a great improvement upon the old court, and in that respect we shall all be gratified … We have had another scuffle in executive session today, in respect to another appointment for our County. The Gov. especial friends are pretty hard and the decision is postponed. I expect the nomination will be confirmed, but it will choke some of them pretty hard to swallow the Bill. It keeps up the excitement against Bouck, and furnishes matter and occasion for charges against him of fraternizing with the deserters from the party. These and other things appear to work well, so far as his defeat is concerned. It may have a disastrous effect upon the result of the election next fall, but that we are not responsible for any of these consequences … My Surrogate Bill passed the Senate today, after a struggle by its enemies to kill it. I think it will pass the other house without difficulty.”

John Porter was an Auburn lawyer and public official, serving as a Democratic New York State Senator in the early 1840s, when Democrat William Bouck succeeded Whig William Seward (Lincoln’s future Secretary of State) as Governor of New York. Though they had a majority of seats in the Legislature, New York Democrats were then bitterly divided between “hunker” and “barnburner” factions. Governor Bouck was a “hunker”, a conservative allied with the Southern slave-owners of his party, while Porter, a “headstrong radical”, favored reforming the State Constitution and judicial system, and sympathized with anti-slavery Whigs who would soon form their own Liberty Party.