The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-09-24
sECRErARY roIeER pEAp.
sketch ofths Career ofaa Eminent Amer
frnu.

GENEVA IN. w. September I.-Secretary Fol.
ger died at As pm Ths only persons present
were Mrs. Hart his deceased wife's sister. Or.
Knapp and one of his law associates. The dying
man gasped twice or thrice and all was over
Secretary Folger's two daughters arc in the Adir.
ondacks, the elder in very feeble health.
[Charles J. Folger, born in April, ISIS. at Nan
tucket, Mass, was the descendant of a line OF dis
tinguished EngliShmen. When be was II years Of
age his parents removed TO Geneva, n v, and in
1886 he graduated from Hobart College, the first
in his class. Choosing the law rs his profession
he was duly admitted TO practice in Is,9. and i've
years later, when has age was but y, he was ap-
pointed by Governor Bourke Judge Of the Ontario
Court of Common Pleas, an Office which he re-
signed after one years service TO become a Master
and Examiner in Chancery Court that WIS after
wards abolished. In ISL he was elected County
Judge of Ontario county, and served for n term
of four years In 1851 he elected by the lie
publicans to the State Senate Of New York and
was reelected in 1865, 1865 and 1861. thus serving
for eight successive years and acting the greater
part Of the time as President pru ffHt. Of the
Senate. He was also n member Of the Coustitu-
tional Convention Of 1861 and the Chairman Of its
Judiciary Committee. While IN the Legislature
he was the uncOmprOmising foe Of all rings and
mOnOpolies. The Tweed tar levies for New York
city, which were before the Legislature nj that
time, resolutely opposed by Secretary Folrrr
designing from the Senate in 1859, sp oini-
ed by President Grant as Assistant United States
Treasurer for New York, establishing for him-
self during the year that he held the Office a
putatiOn a iinaneier that will be b 'lorablu
membered by many of the oldest banscrs 81 the
metropolis. When the Court OF AppCgls was re-
organized in 1870, he was one Of the two Repub-
lcans elected an Associate Judge. and in Nav,
1850, be was appointed by Governor Cornell 10 al
the vacancy oocasioned by the death q Chief
Justice Church. He was 1t a later date selected
by the popular vote for the full term Of fourteen
years.
In October, 1881, he was appointed by Pre-
sident Arthur Secretary OF the United States Ire
asury, and the appointment was promptly com
hrmed by the Senate. The choice of the President
was also very generally approved by the people.
Hardly was he installed rs Secretary Of the Ire
asury, when Folger REQUIRED 10 his original dream
of being Governor Of New York. and all the old
friends Of President Arthur in The city II New
York. who had discovered Secretary Folgvr to be
slow in giving TO them the local patronage, Justify
joined in the cry that no one would d. frr Gov
ernor but Foiger. President Arthur looked ask
ance upon his candidacy before the States con-
yenticn, as a failure would seem to be defeat Of
the Administration. while success would involve
the doubtful experiment of electtng him on the
Republican ticket in a State torn with feuds and
distractions. But FOlger was determined, and
all untoward circumstances and combinations
were aiding his purpose and committing TO his for
tunes the Administration. He was nominated
under e1asperating Conditions which revived and
intensified the old hostility Of the people Of New
York 10 premature division Of Garield's raitneut
in the State, and he was buried under majority
of over l90.0UO. Since then his health had been
failing and the news of his death was not unex-
pected.
Secretary Foger was a man Of great experience
with and au aptitude for the administrational
of national affairs. A persuasive orator. an apt
debater, lucid and convincing reasOner, he was
not unworthy of comparison with his illustrioua
predecessors In office, Alexander Hamilton aud
Salmon p. Chase, as we'll as the more recent,
if less celebrated Secretaries of the Treasury Of
the United States, Walker, sherman, Boutwell,
and Wiudouil