Litchfield enquirer., 1846-08-13


fcrsop party, the Aurora, and other k'na'su
-. rsce;ved momentary impulse iron
- .ysn,s of the winter Of le0O-Ol. Fires
.nocs.sive,v occurred in the buildings occo
.;od hv the War and Treasury Departments
ru.;ous attacks were at once made upon
the federal officers, of which Wolcott receiV-
ID his full proportion. The fires as mat
-. of course were attributed to design, and
aor,v nalignity vented itself in accusations
Of The most atrocious kline. The fact that
tho rersons under whose charge the depart
vents had so long been, had resigned, and
,ba. the party itself was on the eve OF going
,ut of power, that predictions OF such occur
rences had been among the thousand calum'
MES of hack editors, gave temporary but
only a. temporary coloring to those falSe-
hoods. A committee of the House was ap-
pointed on the 10Th of February, to examine
into the cause Of these occurrences ma
iority of whom were members OF the oPPo-
s;t;or The committee reported that in re-
gard to the fire in the War Department there
WAS uno evidence whatever on which 10
,,round suspicion of its originating in neg
licence or design )" that concerning the lire
in the Treasury Department, they had o.
tanned no evidence which enables them to
form conjecture satisfactory"-and there
fore choose to report il in the words OF the
witnesses themselves" The published tes-
timony of those witnesses, (though unsatis-
factory to party committee,) nevertheless
fully exhonerated Mr.. Wolcott from all
blame in the eye Of the public.
Early in February, Wolcott left Washing
ton and repaired to Middletown, Connec-
ticut, where his family then resided. His
resources but little exceeded what was me-
cessary to satisfy his family expenses for q
few months Most Unexpectedly to him, he
was nominated by President Adams as one
of the U. S. Circuit Judges for the second
circuit, embracing the districts of Connec-
ticut, Vermont, and New York-which NOM
ination was UNANIMOUSLY confirmed by the
Senate.
On the Sd of March, 1901, the ascenden-
cy of the federal party in the United States
ended, Mr.. Jefferson succeeding Mr.. Adams
in the Presidential chair.
In 1902, the Judiciary Act under which
Mr.. w. had been appointed to the Judge
ship, was repealed. He then took up his
residence in the city of New York, where
he engaged in the mercantile business-in
with nine other gentlemen, with
capital of 100000. During the succeed
ing year, the Merchants Bank-a joint stock
institution-was created, and he was elect
ed its President. The hostility Of Dewitt
Clinton and Gov. Lewis, however, shortly
after destroyed it by effecting the passage Of
the act known as the restraining act: 1t
was subsequently re-incorporated, and -four
isheda for many years under The Presidency
of the late Lynde Catlin, Esq, also a ma
tive of Litchfeld. 4
On the expiration Of the charter of the
first Bank of the United States, Mr.. Wolcott
employed large part of his capital in crea-
ting the Bank of America. 1t was incor-
porated in 1912, and he was chosen its first
President, which Office he continued TO hold
until 1914, when, in consequence of political
differences between himself and the directors
Of the institution, he resigned. About this
time, Tin connection with his brother, the late
Hon. Frederick Velocity he commenced the
extensive manufacturing establishments at
Wolcottville.
In 1915, he removed to Litchfeld, and
in the following year was placed in nomin-
? lion by the democratic party as their can
didate for Governor-but was defeated. In
1917, he was elected Governor and the
same year was chosen member Of the Con.
vention which formed the Constitution of
the State, and was made President of that
distinguished body. He was annually re-
elected Governor until lS27-a period of
ten years.
He subsequently, returned to New York,
and died there on the I'd of June, 1888. He
was the last survivor of Washington's Cab
met.
The original papers found on the person
of Major Andre, in the handwriting of
Arnold. the paspor;ss of John Anderson