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Message:: [QUOTE="johnmilton, post: 4320712, member: 101855"]Here are two pro Whig Party Hard Times tokens. These two pieces recall the first mayoral election in New York City. Prior to 1834, the mayor had been selected by the Common Council, which is the historical equivalent of the modern City Council. The man they usually chose was often a wealthy businessman who could be bought. In 1834, it was decided to hold the first election for mayor. Politics was not a genteel sport in the 1830s. The opposing sides often battled it out in the streets with knives and clubs. Ballots were destroyed, and the three days of balloting, April 8, 9 and 10 were anything but peaceful. The Whigs held a violent and vitriolic parade. Its centerpiece was a frigate they labeled “Constitution” which they dragged up Broadway. The Democrats countered by marching to Wall Street where they threatened a Whig newspaper owner who held them off at gun point. Overall one man was killed and 20 others were wounded. At the end of three days of balloting, the Democratic candidate, Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence won by just 180 votes over Whig Guilian Verplanck. Despite their loss, the Whigs proclaimed a moral victory because in the past, the Democrats had totally dominated the electoral process. Here are the two tokens that proclaimed that event, early in the Whig Party’s existence. Both of the feature the Constitution, which became a symbol for the Whig Party. This first one is fairly scarce. [ATTACH=full]1097847[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1097848[/ATTACH] The second one is better executed. This variety is fairly raw, and this example is among the finest known. For once I was in the right place at the right time! [ATTACH=full]1097849[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1097850[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]

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