The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-11-08
A Day OF Excitement I'm New York-Doubt-
ful Election.


A Day OF Excitement I'm New York-Doubt-
ful Election.
Yesterday was one of the most extraordinary
days ever seen in New York. All the principal
streets exhibited popular excitement, which had
a character of anxiety more than any thing else,
to a degree altogether unexampled. In the morn
ing the wing papers came out very boldly and
claimed the State of New York for Mr.. Clay,
thereby giving him the Presidency Side by side
with these journals the ultra democratic journals
also came out and claimed the State in the same
way, by their invincible figuring for Mr.. Polk.
The respective readers of those journals sailed out
in the mornings and beautiful morning II was
the sunshine bright and warm, and the air balmy
and inspiriting-and as they encountered each
other, there could be at once seen differ
ence of opinion-a discussions debate
acomparison of votes-and all that variety OF ges-
ture and commotion which indicated unsettled
minds in both parties after going through the dis.
cussen
What gave edge and interest to the speculations
and discussions of many on the all-absorbing topic
of the day, was thef fact, that immense sums OF mo-
ney were pending on the result in the State OF New
York, and also on the general question. AT a very
low estimate il may be reckoncd that several mil
lions are pending in this city on the result OF local
elections, and also of the general election; and II
we include in this estimate the probable amounts
pending in the various cities and towns throughout
the country, we should not be at all surprised if
eight or ten millions were to change hands in few
days on the general result being ascertained.-
This il, perhaps, one of the wsightiest reasons
which can be assigned for the intense anxiety
-. Il sl,~ stor an
excitement visible in the countenances of all an
excitement differing altogether from that which
precedes an election, when all is hope and buoy
ancy.
In the streets the scenes were often indie
scribably amusing. Throughout the whole morn
ing, at every corner groupes were collected, listen
ing to two or three oracles debating the probabi-
ties Of Clay or Polk carrying the State of New
York At one corner you would see vene-
rable gentleman with gray hairs, but a bright
eye, leaning on his crutch, weighing the proba
biliues of the case, as if he were a Judge
of the Supreme Court and deciding with the
most consummate dignity in the world, thatit was
highly probable that Mr.. Clay would get the State,
and again thatit was very probable that Mr. Polk
would get it! In another corner some attacht OF a
newspaper-some half-and.haf editor would br
arrested on his way and asked what his opinion
was, and what was the character of the returns
which he had in his pocket that morning But on
all faces was pictured degree OF unusual anxiety,
showing distinctly that it was something more than
mere matter of opinion-to satisfy an abstract
doubt-that made the inquirers so exceedingly de-
srcus to ascertain the resultant money depended
on it-and that in numerous cases, many thousands,
the;fru OF years of toll and industry, were actually
pending on this triAng result. What folly-what
nonsense What gross injustice to ones family to
allow political excitement or the spirit of gambling
SO to control the mind, as to endanger the whole
of the earnings of life by the turn of vote in
distant part of the country
Throughout the day both parties continued to
claim the State most manfully; but both admitte d
that the vote was extremely close, and that the
probability was, that few hundreds would deter
mine it either way. In some quarters the wings
were blazing away, in paroxysms OF rage against
the A" natives," for cheating them out OF large
majority in New York, after they had manfully
and decently abandoned their own ticket and gone
for the natives" 1t appears that the wings had
calculated on at least from six to nine thousand
majority in this city, in consequence of the coali
ton with the " natives and they are now ex-
tremely furious in their abuse of their respectable
allies, whom they accuse Of being cheats, recreans
and rogues, for not voting-as they had
given the wings reason to suppose-for MIR. Clay.
On the other hand, others of the same party
were equally loud and indignant In their denun-
Citations of the aboitionists-"th fanatics"-" the
egregous blockheads," who were sticking by their
own man instead Of voting for Mr.. Clay. All sorts
of vengeance were indeed vowed by the wings
against the abolitionists, because they had thrown
away their votes on such a man as Birney, instead
Of eIectng such glorious "feller" as Henry Clay
Throughout the afternoon twas generally agreed
that the vote Of the State of New York for MI.
Clay would depend on the abolition vote in the
western counties; but whoever got the State, it
was agreed that it would be by only thousand OF
two-thereby realizing the prediction we made
a long time before the election, thai
whoever got the vote of New York would
get the Presidency. Up to late hour in
the afternoon--the same doubt-the same discus
sion-the same anxiety-the same care.worn as
pect-and the same immense number OF groups
were visible, particularly in Wall street, In the
business districts, in some parts Of Broadway, a.
the Hotels, and in many quarters throughout the
whole city. About half past five O'Clock in the
afternoon the groupes moved to the newspaper Of
fees, filling every nook and GRANNY. and crowdins
up the streets and sidewalks. The Herald office
was the scene of great throngs waiting for the ar
rival Of the steamer from Albany with the decisiv,
intelligence. About hall past six our messenger
arrived at the office with the intelligence. 1t wa
announced to the crowd that New York had gon,
for Polk and Dallas, and then such shout rose Vi
to heaven as we never before heard-some cursing
some swearng-some hurrahing, as wild as thu
very fiends themselves.
Altogether this has been a much NOR
interesting and exciting election than even tina
which resulted in the triumph Of General Harrison
and the decision Of the State Of New York ant
the Presidency, will relieve multitudes of grea