The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-11-08
A Sketch Of Mr.. Folger.

Charles ]. Folger, who has been named
for Secretary Of the Treasury, is a native Of
Nantucket, and was born April Is, 1918.
When twelve years old he went to New York
with his parents, who settled in Geneva. He
was graduated from the college At Geneva in
1886, receiving the highest honors of the
class. He read law with Mark 4. Sibley, At
Cansndagua, who was then among the fore
most at the bar in Western New York. He
was admitted to practice. in the Supreme
Cont in 1889. In 1s4S he was appointed by
Gouck (Democrat) rs Judge in the Ontario
Court of Common Pleas, but resigned at the
end Of one years service. In 1851 he was
elected County Judge Of Ontario county, n
held the office four years. He was known in
those days as a Silas Wright Democrat. Sub
seqiently he driftsd off with the Barnburners'
wing of the Democracy into the Republican
party on the slavery question. He identified
himself with that party when it was first Or
ganized, and at the close of his term as Coun-
ty Judge he began to take active part in the
politics OF the State. In the fall of 1861 he
was elected by the Republicans Of his dis
trict to the State Senate; was reelected in
1858, 1865 and 1867, thus serving eight years
in succession, most Of the time being Presi-
dent pro tem. of the Senate, and after the
first years. service was recognized as the
leader Of his party in the chamber. He like
wise played an important part in the State
Conventions of the party, being a power
there before Senator Conkling had become
the recognized leader. He was = member of
the Constitutional Convention Of New York
in 1867, and was a candidate for the Presi-
dent Of the Conv %ention, but was defeated in
the caucus by William A. Wheeler. He
was, however, made Chairman of the Ju-
dietary Committee, and became one of the
leading members.
At the close of his Senatorial term in 1860,
Mr.. Folger was appointed United States
Sub-Treasurer in New York City by Presi-
dent Grant. This position he held until 1870,
when he was elected Judge Of the Court of
Appeals on the reorganization of the court
under the new judiciary article, which he
was instrumental in securing the adoption of
by the Constitutional Convention. When
Chief-Justice Church died in May, 1880,
Governor Cornell designated Mr.. Folger to
act as Chief Justice.
He was nominated for the place last fall by
his party and elected for a term OF fourteen
years, but under the constitution can only
serve seven years more. In that time he will
have reached the constitutional limit of 70
years of age.
In his career in the State Senate four points
stood out very prominently and attracted at
tention. First, his conservative course as
chairman Of the judiciary Communicable
was the man above all others feared by the
legislative jobbers second, his antagonism
Governor, leading him in 1867 to opposing
and defeating The nominations sent by Mr..
Fehton as Governor to the Senate, and i'll
severe criticism upon his acts in public de-
bate-he became the leader of the opposition
to MIR. Fenton before Mr.. Conkling took that
task on himself; third, his prominence in the
contest between Commodore Vanderbilt and
the Central and Jay Gould and the Erie in
the Legislature of 1868, when the former was
trying to get possession of the Erie railroad.
I'll fourth noted point was the bold position
taken and the fierce fight made on Tweed's
tax levies for New York City, extending the
session in one instance three days and main
tanning the contest rather than yield a point.
N. Y. World.