[ 12 ] LEONARD CHALMERS vailed upon him to repair the breach in the party before the annual state convention.11 The unity hoped for, however, did not materialize. For two weeks representatives of the three groups wrangled. Sickles, speaking for the sachems, blamed the impasse on Schell, who had allegedly encouraged the Wood men to obstruct an agreement. Wood's followers retorted that all efforts to agree had been thwarted by the "malignant hostility" of men "acting in secret concert with the open enemies of the democratic party!' Savage, the one exception to the general discontent, meanwhile tried to bind the wounds, but his pleas went unheeded as the state convention assembled.12 New York City sent three sets of delegates to Syracuse, each claiming to represent the city's Democrats. Sickles, again speaking for the sachems, proposed that the convention adjudicate the disputants' claims. Mayor Wood, cognizant of the close ties between the New York Hotel Committee and the Albany Regency, rejoined that the convention possessed no authority to interfere in a local matter. The issue excited such interest that the crush of delegates to reach the rostrum nearly caused a riot, and tempers were calmed only after an associate of the Mayor recommended that Tammany and Wood divide the seats equally and shelve the question of accreditation.13 The Syracuse compromise suggested the possibility of further agreements before the state election. Fowler, acting on behalf of the sachems, agreed with Wood to form a consolidated General Committee consisting of no men chosen in an equal ratio from their organizations. The Savage group, a nonparticipant, received a small representation on the General Committee. In these dealings the peacemakers were motivated by practical considerations. A breathing'spell was necessary to divide the offices in the coming state elections, where the sachems received the county nominations and Wood the municipal offices.14 Conciliation was possible largely because Fowler, an effec- 11 The [New York] Irish American, August 8,1857; Herald, July 25, August 28,1857; Leader, August 15, September 2,1857. 12 Sickles to Buchanan, September 8, 1857, Buchanan Papers, HSP; Herald, August 29, September 4,1857; Times, August 31, September 9,1857; Evening Post, September 4,1857- 13 Times, September 11,12,14,1857; Leader, September 12,1857. 14 Times, September 30, 1857; Morning Courier and New York Enquirer, September 30,1857; Leader, October 3,1857; Herald, October 3,1857.