New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-09-03
sAentl, 81 menn .Rlehmond.


president of the New York Central railroad, bis
life was one of adventure, generally resulting, IN
later years particularly, IN success He loved |
daring financial hazards, get was never devoted 10
the boarding of wealth. He loved to make money |
but was generous and oftenprodigat ialts expen- |
dtnre. Personally he was frugal, temperate aud
free from ostentation or display.
Dean Richmond was born at Woodstock, Yer |
mont on the Sist of March, lSeA. His parents
were poor, and he was early compelled 70 make
his own way through the world, with little eduea-
ton except such as he acquired IN his intercourse
with men. He was employed for some time we
believe, ON the Erie canal after which he lived
for several years at Salt Peint," now the First
Ward in the city Of Syracuse. He gained in this
time the reputaton of being shrewd. observing
young man, little reckless, as was too much the
case with dwellers in that locality, but honorable
and faithful in all his dealings with men. pecu-
liar manner was acquired by him at this time,
which adhered to him through life.
He renewed to the western part of the State,
and finally made his home in Batavia, Here he
was successful in business beyond expectation
having great luck in making investments. spr
example, in 1872 when the stocks OF the State of
New York had greatly deprecated, as a result Of
the rninous Wing canal policy, he invested his
entire capital in them. Mr.. Flagg, the controller,
demonstrated with him. 8 expect he replied,
''that under your administration they will rise to
par. We made you controller for that purpose
His anticipationS were fulfilled
When the two great factions became actively
hostile in the ranks Of the Democratic party, Mr..
Richmond planted himself on the side oil the radf
cal wing, InlSaS he gave his energies and his
money freely to the advancement of She Freesoi
Democratic party; but directly afterward became
| favorable to the reunion OF lS49.
4 After this he was as widely known in political
4 circles as among the railroad kings. He gave
i his days to business and his leisure hours to pol
itics, exeelling equally in both pursuits. he be-
A came known as a "power assAlbany By the
passage eli the famous consolidation act of 1853
by which the fifteen lines OF railroad extending
or projected from the Hudson river to Lake Erie
were united into one corporation; ana ne was
ever afterward leading manager in the affairs
of the New York Central Railroad. For many
1 years he was vice president of the Central Rail
4 road Company, and on the retirement OF MIR.
! Corning, three years since, he succeeded to the
& He was always freesciIer, He was opposed
! to the proposition for the annexation Of Texas in
1874; q consistent supporter of Silas Wright and
Martin Van Burens in 1864 he was equally OUT
| spoken in his opposition to the Nebraska bill.
But his earlier experience had made aim cautious,
and he considered it unwise for radical democrats
to fOrsake their party and the national admnstfa-
ton, to ally themselves with their wing adverse
ries. He was enc Of the prominent leaders of the
'soft-shelr' wing, and fer many years was an
naally chosen chairman CT the Democratic State
central committee. His contests and frequent
I reconciliations with John A. Green Fernando
| Wood and other tharls'' are well known. He
1 was bold in purpose and, though often oYerruled,
always carried cut the policy of his party with
4 characteristic energy. Althougha decided parti7
san he was always on the best of terms with the
republican leaders. He never lost measure in
the State l@8siature, though he sometimes found
his political friends intraGtable and it was often
current gossip that he and the ruling members Of
III the7repubiiean party had perfect understanding
4 In 1860 he attended the Gharteston. convention,
and didal in his power to prevent disruption OF
7 the Democratic party. He foresaw thatit would
threaten the existence of the government But
H madness ruled, and his advice was not followed.
ii. When the Southern leaders opened the rebellion
he took his position in favor of the moSt{yig OTous
I1rfSS prutl 1f In a U
!, himself with the party of the administration. He
refused no assistance in his power to the admins
tratlon, even when most vigorously eriticlsng its
4 policy. Ii was his private declaration that he
would never help to hold the goyernmentfast
n while the rebels were attacking it, and his acts
4 were perfectly consistent with this declaration
4 He was opposed to the legal tender note policy
4 and to the national currency act. The simple
bonds Of the government and treasury notes, he
used to declare, were ample for the occasion, and
would not produce that disturbance of values
which would be liable to become greater public
4 calamity than the war itself. He was very
4 severe on the Valandighanls and other copper
4 heads, and despised the double dealers like Sey
/ mour. At the Chicago convention heswas opposed
1 to the platform, which, he declared, would insure
| the defeat of the ticket,
He, of course, supported the policy OF Presi.
dent johnson. Il is now understood that the Dem
ocratic platform and ticket Of 1866 were adopted
/ after assurances given at an interview in Wash
I ington. He was an active forwarder Of the Sara
| toga convention, and exercised a powerful infu-
/ ence over It's proceedings. ys5a
His health had for some time been poor. He
could not remainlong ma standing posture with
out suffering. At Washington, whittier he went
after the meeting at Saratoga, he became very
feeble At Philadelphia he was hardly able to
sustain the fatigue. His room was, as usual a
place of resort for politicians, greatly interfering
with his comfort. But he slept well, and no dam
gerous result was apprehended.
But upon his return to this city it was soon
asceraned that his disorder was more serious than
had been supposed On Tuesday he was persuaded
to leave the st. Nicholas Hotel and aeceptthe hos
pitalty Of Mfr. Samuel j Tilden, long time his per-
sonal and political friend The ablest medical
skill Of the city was employed to check his dis.
ease, which was albuninaria. Itsometimes showed
signs Of mitigation, but faint ground for hope. On
Saturday the symptoms were, somewhat more
i hopeful, but yesterday he rapidly sank, until at 2
/ o'clock this morning he expired, apparently with
/ out pain. His wife and son were with hinl5in his
| last moments,
| ATore abont the Holt ana st,snton Conspiracy
70 Obtain Peajured Testimony against Mi.
THE pIRTIEsT PIECE OF ILLATNY THAT GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS HAVE EVER BEEN CONCERNED IN.