The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-13
Ffem tAs Nes Oylssns PieaSp~>s, Jssse 3.
De witt Clinton,

York, on the gath ult. The elevation there 10 only
temporary. for the purpose ofgnhfying public
curiosity with fine work Of art. and of refreshing
the recollection of New York's great statesman. 1t
will be permanently placed in Greenwood Gem
etery.
The statue was executed by II. K. Brown for
the Clinton Monumental Association, at = cost Of
Sis OO0 It is 4 tardy testimonial Of generation to
one of the ablest men and greatest public bsne-
factors whom the State of New York has ever pro-
duced possessed. Memorials of marble or bronss
however, we're not needed to perpetuate his nams
The Erie canal, which has been such a prolific
source of wealth to New York, which has doubled
her population, and adds yearly intellectually to her
resources and power, which has made tributary To
her ports the immense commerce Of the boundless
northwest, and more than any other lement of her
greatness exacts for her the proud title of the
Empire State, has engraved for him a memorial
which will outiast column or statue The shame
and the loss OF this long public neglect of State
nonors to his name fall upon those who thereby
show themselves insensible and ungrateful not
upon him whose fame is writ imperishably in his
work.
Clinton was Of the old revolutionary stock of
New York, Of General James Clinton, who
served bravely in the of independence, and
nephew OF George Clinton, also of revolutionary
renown, who was Vice President of the United
States, elected with Mr.. Jefferson in 1904 and Mr.
Madison in 1903. Vice President Clinton was a
serious competitor with Madison for the caucus
PRESIDENCY,
faction of his friends with the Virginia succession
doubtless contributed to the opposition which was
made by portion of the Republican party to Mr.
Madison, in supporting De Witt Clinton for the
Presidency in 1912.
The younger Clinton brought early into
political life as the private secretary of his uncle
Governor George Clinton, Just alter he became of
age, and had finished his law studies preparatory
to practicing at the bar. He continued in public
employment, with slight intermissions, from that
time until his death in 1923. He was elected
member of the State Assembly in 1897 next of the
State Senate in 1900, to the Senate of the United
States tor the unfinished term of General Arm
strong in 1903, and in 1905 was appointed Mayor
OF New York. AT that time, and until the
constitution was adopted, the Mayors of New York
were appointed by the State Executive at Albany.
He continued Mayor of New York, which office
then had judicial functions presiding Judge in
the criminal court until 1915, with an interval of
two years-lSO6 and 1907, believe He was slso
Tor seven or eight Of these same years State SEN
ator tor New York city, both of which appoint
ments be held when he was nominated by the Re
publican caucus Of the Legislature a candidate for
the Presidency of the United States against Mr.
Madison, with Jared Ingersoil, of Pennsylvania,
for Vice President. This ticket supported
generally by the Federalists, and received the
votes of all the New Ed gland States except Yer
mont, of New York, New Jersey, and Delaware
and i've in Maryland, making SO, to l2S for Madi
After his defeat for the Presidency while his
chief opponent, Daniel D Tompkius was Gov
of the State, Mr.. inton rendered his ser
vices for the war, and asked for a command. Gov
ernor Tompkins gave him a commission as major
general, but command.
The political combinations of 1912 threw Mr.
Clinton into opposition TO the regular national or
ganization of his party, and the consequences was
that in ISIS he was deprived of all his employ
ments, and went into private life. II was in this
interval that he applied himself earnestly to the
study Of the canal question, which to be the
grand achievement of his life. The fusion of
Mr. Into
ward again couple of years Afterwards, and ne
became again Governor. But his ADMINISTERS ton
was violently opposed, principally on grounds of
complaint about his distribution of patronage
among his own personal adhereuts instead of the
regular Tammany politicians. They brought out
against him the most popular in the State
Vice President Tompkins; but, after closely
contested election Clinton was reelected. mainly
by the power of the canal policy in the west. But
bis opponents triumphed in every other branch of
the government, and succeeded in calling a con-
yention, amending the constitution, abolishing the
Council Of Appointments, running all Of his
friends out Of office, and shortening his own term
of service. On the first election under the new
constitution be was not even named as a candi-
date. His opponents elected every thing without
contest, and be was apparently consigned to DO
htical oblivion forever.
But q new political storm ragged in 1924 The
Presidential contest among Crawford, Adams
Clay, and Jackson, divided the triumphant "Buck-
tails as the dominant party was called. The
Crawford men offended a great many others be-
cause, having majority in the State Senate, they
refused to pass an electoral law giving the choice
of PRESIDENT tai electors, which vested in the
State Legislature, to the people of the State.
great excitement was got up, A "People's party''
was organized, which drew Mr.. Clinton from his
retirement, and made him Governor by very
large majority over Colonel Samuel Young, the
''caucus" candidate. The election OF Mr. Adams
to the Presidency followed, and the next election
Tin 1880 in New York a very mixed affair
because the regulars of the party were engaged at
Wash cto and in
ton TO the administration of Mr.. Adams, with
view of electing General Jackson to succeed him.
while IN the unsettled condition of State politics
their convention bad nominated for Governor
Judge Rochester, who Adams man.
Clinton, who bad favored the movement for Gene
raj JAG kson succeeded in being re- elected but by
a small majority; showing that if the Presidential
question bad not interfered, be would probably
have been beaten again by the force of party or
ganisation.
This Clnton's last public employment.
The omens of his public success were extremely
brilliant. The organization under Gen. Jackson
was already strong, and had absorbed the old
''Tammany party" and in this new party Clinton
had been received a master leader, between
whom and Gen. Jackson a close personal attach
ment existed, which Gen. Jackson had manifested
with great eclsion and frmness when Clinton
fortunes were at the lowest. He was ALREADY
talked of az Jackson's Secretary of State, in the
event Of his election already thought to be certain
and the combinations TO make him President after
wards were freely talked OF, when in February
1928, be died suddenly at Albany, from a disease
OF the heart, aged fifty nine years
Some Of these political, personal, and party me-
moirs have passed away from the memories OF all
but students Of history, or MS personal friends of
whom no man had host more devoted and self
denying But, for his labors in the cause of inter.
nal improvement, his sagacity and perseverance
in taking up the Erie canal, and stalking his repu.
taton and all bis public fortunes upon it, and car
rying it through to such marvellous consumma
ton of greatness and prosperity whic it has beer
the means of COME rriug upon the State, and fol
the example of grand and bold enterprise which il
gave to the whole country, and thereby opened tbs
way TO the great works which have since been I'M
deTtaKen IN other States, and doubled the capita
and trebled the prosperity of the whole nation, hi:
name survives more and more honored, year after
year, while most of bis rivals no combatted with
and foied him in the struggles of ambition, ar,
already as completely forgotten though they
never existed--leaders Of Babel, whose names arr
lost in the confusion of tongues and dispersion o
tribes.
DIVORCE IN OHro.-The Legislature of Ohio hal
passed alaw granting divorces such number
81 variant and frivolous pretexts as can scarce fa
10 afford escape for any badly matched pair who
may desire to avail themselves Of it. Parties be.
longing TO other States can by residence of one
year have all the benefits of the Ohio law though
the cause of divorce may have occurred elsewhere
and decree Of divorce in any rourt Of ,no,ha