Recent History.   I860-1890.              201
 

CHAPTEE XIV.

RECENT HISTORY.   1860-1890.

In 1860 New York had over eight hundred thousand
inhabitants. During the thirty years that have since
passed, its population has nearly doubled. If the city
limits were enlarged, like those of London and Chicago,
so as to take in the suburbs, the population would
amount to some three millions. Eecently there has
been a great territorial expansion northward, beyond
the Haarlem, by the admission of what is known as
the Annexed District. The growth of wealth has fully
kept pace with the growth of population. The city
is one of the two or three greatest commercial and
manufacturing centres of the world.

The ten years between 1860 and 1870 form the worst
decade in the city's political annals, although the sombre
picture is relieved by touches of splendid heroism,
martial prowess, and civic devotion. At the outbreak
of the Civil War the city was — as it has since contin¬
ued to be — the stronghold of the Democratic party in
the North; and unfortunately, during the Eebellion,
while the Democratic party contained many of the
loyal, it also contained all of the disloyal, elements. A
Democratic victory at the polls, hardly, if at all, less
than a Confederate victory in the field, meant a Union
defeat. A very large and possibly a controlling ele¬
ment in the city Democracy was at heart strongly dis-