Bunch of New York lawyers ... I don’t think we can trust them."
A typical but understandable case of misidentification.
Sorry but, in 1856 those New York lawyers were all Democrats, or the old Southern Whigs, now called "Native Americans".
That's because New York Republicans concentrated in Upstate counties.
Of course, Republicans do have their share of lawyers, one of particular note out west, in Illinois I think...
Still, if you look at the shellacking Republicans got from voters in 1856, I doubt if they'll ever amount to much.
Their best bet is to reunite with the old Southern Whigs in a national party which puts America First and works to make America great again.
Sure, that's the ticket... I bet we'll see something like that by 1860, or soon after, right?
;-) Note Republicans in red, the old Southern Whig Americans in yellow-brown: