Memoirs of John Adams Dix; comp. by his son, Morgan Dix.

1828-1830.] THE CLIQUE KNOWN AS "BUCKTAILS."

103

years the centre about which the political sphere revolved: it
may be said that the people of New York were gathered into
two hostile camps, as Clintonians and Anti-Clintonians. In
1818 a permanent separation took place between the supporters and opposers of his administration, though both sides belonged to one and the same political school. The opposition
to Governor Clinton was headed by Martin Van Buren, the
most skilful politician of his day; he was the life and soul of
an organization which ultimately became dominant in the
State. In the city of New York, and out of Tammany Hall,
sprung up a clique of able and restless men known as the
"Bucktails." Hostile to Clinton, they constituted, as has
been said, "an organized opposition to the State administration, and political opponents to the Democratic party in the
State represented by the governor as its chief."
In the year 1821 a great revolution occurred in the State
of New York, though without the effusion of blood or the
help of bayonets. At a convention held at Albany the constitution of the State was revised, or rather made over, so
that old things passed away, and changes which would have
been considered impossible a quarter of a century before were
effected. It was a complete triumph for the Antifederalist,
Anti-Clintonian Democracy; from that date the Clintonian
party, as such, ceased to exist. To enumerate the changes is
unnecessary; they were in the line of Republican progress,
and among those things which logically follow on the application of certain principles. The last vestiges of the ancient
regimne passed away, and the government became popular in
spirit as well as in name.
On the 1st day of January, 1823, Governor Joseph C.
Yates was inaugurated at Albany. It may be said that the
State of New York was at that time in profound political
peace.
But the clearest weather is often a breeder of the heaviest
storm, and in the following year that unity was shivered all
to pieces. In the United States the Presidential question de