Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-09-12
THE LATE SECRETARY FOLGEK.
4 sketch of his Useful and Hon"rabl" ga

Charles James Folgcr was born in Nan
tuckct. Mass. ON April l6. ISIS, and
went to New York State when T. years
old. his parents settling IN Geneva. which
has ever since been his home. He was
graduated from the college at Geneva. in
the elias, uf' lS}J. receiving the highest
huuur- ol his class He read law with
Mark H. ~blcy at Canandaigua, and was
admitted to practice in the supreme Court
in 1889 Hi. progress in his profession
was rapid In 1874 he was appointed by
Governor BOuck. Democrat, rs Judge IN
the Ontario court of common pleas, but
resigned at the end of one year : service.
In ISL he was elected county judge
Of Ontario county and held the Office four
years He was known in those days rs
Il SilaS Wright Democrat. subsequently
he drttcd OIL with the "barnhurncrs'
wing OF the Democracy into the Rcpuhli-
can party ON the slavery question. lie
identified himself with that party when it
was first organized, and at the close of his
term as county Judge he began To take &c
tive part in the politics of the state. In
the fall of 1861 he was elected 10y the Ike
publicaus of his district to the state son
ate. was reelected in 1858, 90 and %.
thus serving eight years in succession,
most of the time being president pro TEN
Of the senate, and after the first year
service was recognized as the leader Of ms
PARTY IN lnt Cllalllllti. ne lIktN lSt piiNf'
an important part in the state conNcn-
tons of the party, being power there
before senator COnkling had become the
recognized leader. lie was member OF
the constitutional convention of the state
in 1861. and was candidate for President
,t the convention, but was defeated III the
caucus by William \. Wheeler lie was,
however, made chairman of the judiciary
committee, and became one Of the leading
members in the body that contained such
Il.
Evarts. Sanford f. Church. \. G. Paige.
George William Curtis and Horace Gree
ley.
At the close of his senatorial term in
1869. Mr.. Folger was appointed United
states Sub-trcaSurcr in New York city by
until $50, when ne was elected Judge OF
the court of appeals ON the reorganization
of the court under the new judiciary arti-
Gle. which he was instrumental III securing
the adoption of, by the constitutional con
Vcuton. When Chief Justice Church died
in May, $50. Governor Cornell designated
Mr.. Folgcr tOaCt as chief justice. lie was
nominated for the place hI his party and
elected 10y II majority about double that
received by Mr.. Garfield in New York
State. He was elected chief Justice for a
term of fourteen years. President Arthur
appointed Judge Folger to his cabinet Is
Secretary of the Treasury which position
he retained up to the time OF his death.
Judge roger : nomination ibl inc once
ot governor of New York at the last clcc-
tion. and his overwhelming defeat by the
Democrats, with the aid of Independent
Republican voters. thus placing Governor
Cleveland in the gUbcrnatOrial chair. L. Il
matter of recent history with which every
newspaper reader is familiar
\ bit OF interesting history is related
concerning the peculiar relations which
have existed for more than quarter of Il
century between Judge Folgcr. cN-Gov-
crnor Morgan. Sub Treasurer lilllhouSc
of New York. Colonel George y. Bliss and
President Arthur Mr. Morgan was, Of
course. the oldest and most distinguished
figure in the group. He was elected COY
crnor in 1858. and held the office for the
four following years. At the outset he
made Colonel Bliss his private secretary,
and one year later he appointed him
payma-t"r general Early in his first
term the governor made MI Arthur
his cnginccr-n-Chicf, and subsequently
advanced him to the position OF inspcc-
tor general and finally quartermaStcr
- ~ , '' t,..''. ,i.tJ -, tLn St,to S,,,
ate in November, 1859, from the Ontario,
Geneva and \ ateS district. In the sum
licr pI io"l before ilIs ,eiil in ~
Rnn.n nIintnnt-rrmrr?i Thus Ar,hur
WiIIhnuSnnnd Mis- vrr, the ,nnnnrinu
i,nn,hnrs Of f;nvnrnor NnrTnu's military
ton fnr .,I,ont tvvn vn,rs Thnn tho Stat,
was rni,in% and odiccrin~ scores of re~i
,nuuts nf Volunteers for thr war of the Re
bellon. NJ TINS point Judge + ui?er come
house bncamn Acknowledgement Folrrl
,vnt nI.cted hiS Successor in III,
Ctnta Snnnte He was n lr,dinr mem
i,or and ,he nr,,,n Of Governnr Vorgnm'
admimi.trntinn II is intrrnstin~ tn trac,
he smhsnnunnt career Of these five Gentle
men Govrrnor Maroon became senate,
in Gnngrnss Mr. JiIIhousr was chose1
- IL -, -; ,,,. I'll =,
,,oarS ~ tnn Statc Snnata Mr. Fnitser YEA,
,nnninrad snh.trenSurer He then wen
"p ptha hench If The cnnrt If onneaIs an,
Nir III IiiIibn,,ta nltimateIr .mceapdnd Kim ~
mi .tra,,.nror rminnel I}Iis. w,os annnint
od I!nitod St,ta. dittrict ,ttnrnetrP nm,
Gano,nI H., Inv ,hannn,o c'IInctmr Jnf ~
nnrt Tnhnh,. dn,htS Hot hur Enlrsr
PIlIhonve ,mG RIi.s ware lari,eIv imdeItn,
49, GnyarvnI. Nnr'tnn's inhunnrG for thes
imnnrtont nlnres While Arthur IIillhous