was defeated in the election for Governor of New York by the opposing Whig's candidate William H. Seward in 1838, which led to a radical change in state politics. Also cited as a factor is a bitter factional split in 1848 (see Barnburners) which gave the other party the patronage the Regency used to use against it. The Regency was reduced in a few years to unorganized individuals. In 1845 Mackenzie published private letters between Jesse Hoyt and various members of the Albany Regency. These letters described negotiations between various members of the Regency for financial transactions and appointments to government office and exposed how members of the Regency were able to profit from speculatory notes and political corruption. See also Tammany Hall Harlem Clubhouse Notes Sources Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. The Age of Jackson. Boston : Little, Brown, 1953 [1945]. Ward, John William 1955. Andrew Jackson, Symbol for an Age. New York: Oxford University Press. History of Albany, New York Political history of New York (state)