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In 1839 the Whigs won the New York Senate from the Democrats, who campaigned against the “reckless building program of the Whigs,” with relation to expanding the Erie Canal.
In response, the Whigs removed the two Democrats remaining on the Canal Commission, Samuel Young and William C. Bouck, reducing the Commission from four to only three, and replaced them with a Whig, Simon Newton Dexter.
Despite an economic recession sweeping the country, the Whig controlled legislature moved to immediately approve an appropriation of $2.5 million for enlargement of the Erie Canal, not yet 20 years old.
