In 1860, during the debate of black suffrage, he told the Assembly that "the proposition to put Negroes on a footing of political equality with white men is repugnant to the sense of the American people.
"[2] In March 1861, Callicot assisted Mitchell Sanford to defend Assemblyman Jay Gibbons at the latter's trial before the Assembly on charges of bribery.
Shortly afterward, the Democrats accused Callicot of improper and corrupt proceedings to achieve his election as Speaker and a Select Committee was appointed to investigate.
As the editor, Callicot had "carried on the business of political assassination, abusing the best and lauding the worst men of the Democratic Party.
He has used the knife and hatchet freely upon such Democrats as Samuel J. Tilden, Daniel Manning, the Cassidys, Governor Lucius Robinson and President Grover Cleveland.